


Bellterr: The Warring Land

by LadyAckerman



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Boyfriends, F/F, F/M, Finding New Worlds, First Time, Firsts, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Multi, Original Character(s), Rating: M, Sex, The Author Regrets Nothing, War, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-01-05 03:21:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 125,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12181932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAckerman/pseuds/LadyAckerman
Summary: Everything was finally getting better.Shiro had returned, Keith was chilling out a bit with training, Pidge and Hunk had more information on Lotor's location and Lance was shooting at nearly 100%. It was supposed to be a simple supply pick up mission. Easy and Simple. But it wasn't at all as they expected when Keith and Lance find themselves drugged, chained and sent to the Battle Planet of Bellterr where rare aliens battle for entertainment and status under the King and His Court. Even through all of the trials, death threats and several injuries, they find a way to become closer, a feeling they had never felt before. Will the two Paladins of Voltron return home or will the Arena of Bellterr take their lives? Will they find that the closeness they need from one another is love or is it just something loneliness has made them feel?Will they survive it all?Let's hope so.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is during the time between Season 3 and Season 4!  
> I OWN NOTHING OF VOLTRON  
> and I appreciate the voice actors, creator and original authors of Voltron so please support them as they continued to work hard on the rest of the series.

It had only been a month since Shiro returned to us.

Sure, it was great that everything was falling back into it’s normal pace but all of the newer missions and awkward conversations about who was going to pilot which Lion was becoming a bit uncomfortable. After my conversation with Keith, I had felt a little better about where I belonged but Allura was getting better everyday and since Shiro hasn’t been connecting with the Black Lion lately, Keith has been trying to bond more with Black. Red has taken some time to get used to but I’ve caught Keith sending worried gazes my way when we leave our lions. I was sure it had something to do with me getting a few more scratches on her but I couldn’t help it, she was taking a bit to get used to. 

Of course, I wouldn’t tell them anything about that, since I had to keep up the facade that everything was fine. I was used to faking a smile and joking about situations since I grew up in a nosy, Hispanic family home filled with fifteen people. Being the youngest you couldn’t show any weakness or someone tried to help you all the time. Leaving for the Garrison made it easier for me to become independent and more adventurous. Sure, I wanted to be the be a Pilot, traveling the universe and saving lives but once you left home, it seemed like everything was so far away. I went to the Garrison in hopes of finally becoming someone and, somehow, found myself in the middle of a universal war that didn’t seem possible until I was in it.

“....Lance! Pay attention!”

Shaking my head, I looked up to see Shiro giving me a well-known disappointed look. Apparently, I had missed something the Princess was discussing and it was probably important seeing as we were called to the bridge. Just the way he furrowed his brow and his fringe fell over the scar on his nose made disappointment that much harder on me. It wasn’t a secret that I was bisexual so when I told Hunk that my crush for Shiro had grown over the past however long we’ve been together, he just laughed at me. Shiro was a living legend back home, especially among the kids at the Garrison. Everyone wanted to be Takashi Shirogane when they left the Garrison. While I was running around the Garrison, Pidge and Hunk were the only two real friends I had made. Sure, there were some guys and girls that became friends with benefits or just acquaintances to talk to but none like those two. Pidge and Hunk dealt with all of my good and bad sides, even those times when I was homesick and crying Hunk always seemed to find a way to cheer me up and Pidge’s snarkiness made the mood change for the better. Even now they were both staring at me with a bit of concern in their eyes.

“Sorry, I was just so lost in your eyes that I-”

“Save it, Casanova, this is important,” Shiro interjected, his hand pressed against my shoulder. Turning to Allura, he nodded for her to continue.

“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” the Princess began, turning on the Castle’s holographic operations system. “We’ve run out of some major supplies needed for the next coalition misson. We’re going to dock at the Moon Mall in the Lazon Asteroid Belt. Coran, do you have the list of things we need to pick up?”

“That I do, Princess,” Coran replied, twirling the ends of his stache as he searched for the list on some keys. “We need three, trillion decaphoebe light bulbs for the bathrooms, fourteen Amsteronion blankets for the trip to Amster, since it gets below four hundred degrees celsius, I believe is what you humans call it, during their Winter. We need loads of food supplies and at least nine Harulian power cords to replace the ones we’re using on the Healing Pods.”

“That’s a pretty long list,” Hunk muttered, nibbling on his thumb nervously. “Do we really have enough time to get all of that?”

“Well, if we don’t get the blankets, we’ll freeze to death in Amster,” Coran explained. “Which, isn’t very fun for us, young folk.”

“And the lightbulbs have been flickering on and off on the Bridge for the past couple of days,” Pidge grumbled, finding a seat on the floor. Pulling a laptop out of her bag, she pulled out a diagnostic on her screen. “And from what I learned from the Altean history books is that Harulian power cords need to be replaced every hundred healings”

“With Lotor’s forces and all of the Galra battles we’ve had to go through to strengthen the coalition we’ve made those old healing pods work,” Shiro shrugged, crossing his arms. 

“And no food means starvation and four days without food means death and I’m not ready to die-” Hunk began put Pidge interrupted him.

“It takes twenty-one days to die of starvation, Hunk,” Pidge sighed, tapping at the keys on her keyboard. 

“No matter what, we need to go out and get the supplies,” Shiro said, pointing to Hunk and Pidge. “You two go get the food supplies and the light-bulbs. Allura and I will get the nine Harulian power cords while Keith and Lance get the Amsteronion blankets.”

“Wait, why do Keith and I have to go find the blankets? That’s the lamest thing to look for,” I groaned, leaning over to place an elbow on Keith shoulders. He grumbled about it but didn’t move under Shiro’s gaze. “Can’t we find something rare and hard to find? I need a little adventure.”

“I wasn’t complaining,” Keith muttered, crossing his arms. “Finding blankets and coming back would be better than walking around a stupid mall-”

“What my friend here meant to say was that maybe there’s something else we need alongside the blankets,” I intervened, covering Keith’s mouth with my hand. Keith immediately licked my hand but just to spite him, I left my hand there. 

“Well, we do need some more chips of Campr Crystals,” Allura thought, looking at the diagnostic Pidge had. “Those are what should regulate the temperature in the Castle while we speak with the Amsteronians.”

“Campr Crystals it is, Princess,” I smiled, removing my hand from Keith's mouth. He glared at me as Allura handed out paper lists for us to follow.

“Don’t wander too much while you’re at the mall, Paladins,” Shiro warned, looking down at his list. “This is a quick in and out. Once we finish picking up the supplies, we have to leave for Amster.”

“Don’t warn  **us** ,” Pidge chuckled, closing her laptop. “You just want to go on a mall date with Allura.”

“I-No, that’s um,-” Shiro sputtered but everyone was already leaving for their bays. Since Black wasn’t really responding to anyone other than Keith, Allura, Keith and I were in our more recent Lion. It was still pretty odd for me to go down to Red’s hangar but once down there, it wasn’t hard for me to saddle into the pilot’s seat, slide in my new bayard and jet off. 

Allura knew the way to the Moon Mall best so we followed her, Pidge Green, Hunk in Yellow, Keith in Black and Shiro huddling next to Allura in Blue. It was a little heartbreaking to lose Blue to Allura but when you think of the Universe and the need for Voltron, you kind of forget all about your emotions. For now at least.

“Time to punch it, Red!” I chuckled, hurling to the front of the formation as we hurdled into the asteroid belt to reach the Moon Mall, Reds growl echoing through the Space.

  
  


The Moon Mall was surprising to say the least.

Lights and signs flashed nearly a hundred miles miles out of the atmosphere as several orbiting satellites filled with dock bays hosted parties and exclusive auctions . The runway was filled with thousands of ships all different sizes and colors huddled between holes in the moon. Tall, glass-covered buildings with anti-gravity fields reminded me of the malls back home. Nearly every section of the mall was crowded with aliens of odd shapes, several eyes or antennas. After however many months or years of traveling the universe, you get used to weird smells and extra eyes in places you didn’t expect. That didn’t stop me from flirting with the ones that looked the most human or at least the hottest, especially in my jeans and lucky jacket.

“Did I ever tell you, I’m a soldier in the Galra war,” I smirked, wrapping a shoulder around a, what did she call herself? “We love saving pretty ladies like you. You’re, uh, what race again, Beautiful?”

“Tekari,” she chuckled, her yellow skin flushing and the tentacles that mimicked hair curling up cutely. “Don’t tell me you already forgot. Do you even remember my name, Lance?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t forget a beautiful name like yours,” I chuckled, curling a finger around a tentacle. It was cold and smooth, nothing like Human hair. 

Was it Amnera? No that was the Sha girl from Erus island, right? Not Dakrem from the Four Moons of Septar either.

“Listen, Kimra, was it? We have a mission we have to get to,” Keith grumbled, pulling my arm off of the Tekari girl. “Lance, we came to get supplies not flirt with random aliens.”

“Send me a com message on that number I sent you!” I shouted to Kimra as she disappeared into the crowd. Turning with a groan, I watched Keith cross his arms and start to stalk off, tacky red jacket fluttering behind him. “What’s your problem, mullet! I was just about to get a date with her!”

“And when were you planning on going on that date, huh?” He snorted, passing a food stand with goo to go. “Last time I checked, your schedule was filled with training, fighting the Galra, more training and mud masks.”

“Don’t blame me when you’re thirty and you have crows feet and are alone,” I retorted, walking up to one of the mall’s holo-map. Surprisingly, it was written in English, a somewhat universal language. Pointing to Ragna’s Blankets and Co., I said. “The blanket store is a few stores away from here. We should be done buying the blankets in no time, Grumpy Mullet.”

Keith just nodded, handing me the pouch filled with GAC coins that, unfortunately, were used by all malls until the Galra were defeated. It wasn’t a secret among the team that Keith was Galra and after a ton of mental turmoil and sadness, Keith got over his lack of comfort, at least visibly. I hadn’t really spoken to him about it but when Shiro disappeared, Keith’s emotions were all over the place. Everyone else worried about him, saying he would ‘Hurt himself or others unless he was told otherwise’, or something like that but I understood where he was coming from. The only guy that ever believed in him, aside from his Dad, somehow vanished just like his Mom. If that happened to someone I cherished, I’m sure I’d feel the same way.

Keith was a weird guy but only by circumstance. I was sure if he had a normal life with both parents and a few childhood family experiences, he’d probably have grown up normal-ish. The thing is, if he was normal, we probably wouldn’t have found Blue and the other Lions. His worries about protecting us always seemed to save us when we weren’t being vigilant enough and when he proved how much of a novice he was at sharing his emotions, it reminded us that there was so much more we had to learn about each other. I was sure that Keith didn’t like me much since we were very different when it came to personality.

I liked to talk to everyone and Keith hated verbal contact.

Keith spoke through body language and I flirted with body language.

I hated spicy food and he couldn’t get enough.

I liked blue v-necks and he liked red scoopnecks.

We had so much that didn’t match but that didn’t change the fact that we could find things that matched, even in the weirdest places.

“Is that a ten inch hunting blade with a titanium handle and dragi-skinned case?” I turned to see Keith’s eyes shine as he stopped at a Hunting Wares open air shop. The vendor was a ten tentacled alien with purple pointed ears and grey eyelids. The sharp pointy teeth made him look that much creepier but that didn’t seem to bother Keith as he picked up a heavy-looking knife that didn’t seem easy to swing. 

“You have a good eye,” the vendor slurped, purple slime pouring from his mouth. I cringed at the sight, trying to pull Keith away but the kid was enchanted. “For only eighty thousand GAC you can take that home with you!”

“Don’t you have like ten of those in your bunk?” I mumbled, attempting to pull Keith again but he wasn’t budging. 

“No! Um-maybe,” he mumbled, a slight blush growing on the tips of his ears. Placing the knife down and turning to me. “Sorry, let’s go.”

The man looked sad as he walked away, hands shoved in his pockets and head ducked down. I placed a hand on top of his head and patted it, a bit awkwardly, but that was the best I could do. Sometimes with Keith, you didn’t know what reaction he’d have and this was the safest bet. “Maybe we can find another blade you’ll like later but first we have to find those blankets.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he muttered, leading the way to the store. It wasn’t filled with too many aliens that it was uncomfortable to walk but with the fifty cabinets and a hundred or so shelves, it was crowded. That’s when I had to pull the old, drag and drop, yanking Keith inside the door before running off to another aisle. I watched from behind a pile of pillows as Keith stood like a scared cat in the middle of the street and looked all around for me. Getting a small laugh and finding an ounce of pity, I whistled, watching the black haired paladin turn in the direction of the sound, a small smile gracing his face. He huddled over to me, trying his best to avoid contact with every other shopper. Once he reached me, he wound up and punched me square in the shoulder. Feigning injury, I walked over to the aisle covered in all forms of blankets small, long and wide

“I wonder if there's a shop keeper or something,” I sighed, picking up different types of blankets and comparing them. There were ones made of animal and alien skins, some were covered in slime while others looked like they were made of wool. “There’s like, a hundred blankets in this store.”

“It’s called Ragna’s Blankets, idiot,” Keith replied, pointing to the sign near the front. “It’s gonna have a hell of a lot of blankets.”

“I know that, mullet, but I meant there should be someone-” That’s when I saw the flash of dark hair and skin as creamy as milk. My jaw dropped at the sight of a girl so beautiful that everything around her stopped moving. Her hair was past her waist and tied in a beautiful braid down her slim back, the end falling over a well built ass. Her legs were strong and her calves sculpted out of stone. Fringe falling into her hazel colored eyes and hands delicately placed near her plump lips made me instantly walk up to her.

“Lance? Lance, what the hell are you-Damn it are you going after that girl too?”

I ignored him as I ran a hand through my hair and licked my lips before tapping the girl on her shoulder. It was quite apparent that she looked Human but there was no reason for a Human to be at the Moon Mall so I tried to give her the best impression a Human male could give. “Hey there, come here often?” I smiled as she turned to face me. 

The girl chuckled and turned those beautiful eyes in my direction. She was fairly tall, a few inches taller than me in fact, but that never stopped me before. “No, I don’t,” she grinned, those pearly whites sparkling and a slight accent sticking to the back of her throat. 

“Well, there’s this saying about beautiful girls like you where I’m from,” I replied, leaning against a stack of blankets.

“And what’s that?” She whispered, leaning over a bit with her hands on her hips.

“Sorry, it seems I’ve forgotten the saying after taking a look into those beautiful eyes of yours.”

The girl laughed, twirling a bit of her hair that fell out of the braid. “You’re so funny and charming!”

“I don’t make jokes about girls like you,” I smirked, waving a hand in front of her. “Oh no!”

“What?”The girl gasped, covering those delicate lips with a soft hand.

I pointed at the floor in front of her and said, “I seemed to have lost something.”

“What did you lose? I’ll help you find it.”

“My breath, when I saw you,” I smiled, snapping my fingers in her direction. The girl laughed at that with a tiny blush gracing her cheeks. “What’s your name, other than gorgeous?”

“Everyone calls me Malone,” she chuckled, reaching over to play with my collar.

“That makes me want you to call you my own more than Malone-”

“Lance, you dumbass, we have things to do and you’re out flirting with another girl,” a voice snapped behind me. Rolling my eyes, I turned to see Keith standing behind me, several blankets in his hands. “Thanks to your flirting, I was able to find some of the blankets we need.”

“Don’t you see I’m a little busy,” I snapped through clenched teeth, sending a smile Malone’s way. 

“We don’t have time for this, Lance-”

“Is your boyfriend upset that we’re flirting with each other?” Malone chuckled, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. “I don’t mind flirting with him if he’s worried.”

“Boyfriend!”

“No way!” Keith shouted, nearly scaring the patrons around us. 

“Wait, Keith are you that upset to have me be your fake boyfriend?” I pouted, reaching a hand out to touch his hair but Keith swatted it away. For some strange reason, that bugged me more than I wanted to admit. “Fine. I’ll just date Malone then.”

Malone laughed at our interaction, grabbing both Keith and I’s hands. “How about we go to a cool little shop my friend owns that has blankets on sale? In return, you guys can take me on a date.”

“So you  **do** want to go on a date with me,” I grinned, waggling my eyebrows. Keith stepped forward, ripping his hand away and placing a hand between us. “What’s your problem, Keith?”

“We can’t just go to some shop, following some girl just cause she’s pretty,” he complained, throwing a blanket in my direction. I caught it, watching him interact with the girl of my dreams. “Thank you for your offer, Malone, but we’ll take our chances here.”

“Says you,” I grumbled, tossing the towel onto a nearby table. “I’m going with Malone.”

“For what reason other than to rebel against what I say?”

“That seems like a good enough reason to me,” I retorted, my voice raising more than a few octaves.

“As leader of Voltron, I’m ordering you to follow me, Lance,” he urged, turning to me with a sneer on his face. I gaped at him, my anger rising slowly in my chest and burning hotter than before. Pushing Keith in the shoulder, I grabbed Malone’s hand and turned to leave. “Where are you going?”

“You are the leader of Voltron but that doesn’t mean you act like one,” I groaned, walking towards the back of the store with Malone. 

“It’s a team, stupid, you should at least listen to me,” he growled, following us out. I dragged Malone forward, heading to the darker parts of the Moon Mall until we nearly couldn’t see any signs. “Lance! Lance! Why aren’t you listening to me!”

“Don’t talk to me like you want to work as a team, when you just want to tell people what to do!”

“Boys! Boys! Relax, you both can come with me,” Malone smiled, pulling her hand from mine. 

“Didn’t you hear what I said?” Keith grunted, reaching for my hand. “We aren’t going anywhere with you.” 

“Oh, you are,” Malone chuckled, a dark glint filling her perfect eyes. A chill ran down my spine as a grin split her face. “And you won’t be coming back. Alive at least.”

“Wha-” Keith started but his voice failed him as his eyes drooped and dropped to the ground in a loud thud.

“Keith!” I shouted,  panic rising in my chest as I kneeled down to grab him but as I held his body in my arms, it felt as cold as ice. His breathing was especially shallow and his body shook as he laid with me. “Malone! What the hell did you do? Keith! Keith! Wake up!”

“The same thing, I’ll do to you, beautiful,” she smiled, the look too sweet as she pressed a warm hand against my arm, the light falling from my eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad some of you chose to read this! It's very dear to my little nerdy heart so please let me know how it's going so far!

Cold….

**Weirdly cold.**

Not like the ‘wind whipping past you’ cold but the type of cold you felt when you pressed your hand against frozen lakes. The bone-chilling cold that made you want to huddle up to someone warm or ask your mama to make you coffee. It was nothing that I had expected to feel when I woke up from  a throbbing headache and stiff muscles. Moving my hands to rub the gunk out of my eyes, I heard the sound of metal hitting metal. Looking down in the dim light, I found thick metal cuffs and long metal chains clamped to my ankles and wrists. Above my head was a single bulb light that didn’t provide enough light to see much. There was a hole around the knee of my jeans and one of my sneakers was tossed on the other side of the dark room. Squinting my eyes a bit, I could make out stone walls and a metal door with a tiny peephole. Thrown into a corner was another figure, huddled against the cool wall shivering. I could make out the red color of a jacket and I instantly knew who it was.

**“Keith!”** I shouted, my voice hoarse and tight. Swallowing thick spit, I tried again. “Keith! Kogane wake the hell up, please! Come on, Keith! Let’s go oh ‘Fearless Leader!’”A noise and a shiver told me he was starting to wake up. The drag of his messy head and the unfurling of his body made me nearly cheer. “Hey, buddy!Talk to me, are you okay? Are you injured?”

“Lance?”

“Yeah, it’s me!” I chatted, trying to stop the trembling in my voice. “I don’t know where we are, though. I don’t really remember what happened.”

“Um, we were at the mall,” he started, pushing back his bangs to peer my way. “Getting something, I think.”

I nibbled at my lip, trying to remember what it was.

Bl-Blankets?

Why would we need blankets?

Damn, I can’t get past the nausea and headache!

“Are you getting the same queasy feeling I’m getting?” I asked, dropping my head down to try not to vomit. “Cause I can’t think about anything with this throbbing in my head and stomach.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, coughing for a moment. “I can’t seem to wrap my head around how we got here.”

“I can explain that,” a cheery yet familiar voice chimed from somewhere in the room. Arms tensed at the sound and Keith’s shoulder were taut as we peered around the room. I knew the room was empty because of the light and as Keith shuffled from the door, hissing at some unknown pain, I could hear a distant whirring noise.

“Who the hell are you?” Keith shouted, his body sitting protectively between the door and I. Sure, I took that a bit like an insult but I didn’t have the time to say anything about that right now. Suddenly, the sound of keys jingling and doors swinging open filled the quiet air. As the metal door was opened, bright light flooded into the room nearly blinding Keith and I as a figure stood in the doorway. Blinking to clear the image, I narrowed my eyes to see that the figure was no taller than five feet under the tall archway. The alien or animal had blue skin with bright green speckles forming all over it’s body like a constellation. Bright red hair fell in waves over its shoulders and a small, thin tail whipped back and forth. It’s body looked a lot like a human teenage girl if I could say that without sounding like a creep. Her chest was pronounced and her hips were wider than her waist. She only wore a single white dress that covered her chest all the way to her knees before flowing out, kind of like a sundress.  

“Oh, don’t be mean, Keith, you have to remember,” the creature pouted, grey teeth nibbling on her lower lip. “I know I look a little different but maybe Lance remembers.”

“Maybe Lance doesn’t remember,” I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest to look a little more defiant but it didn’t really work. “Do you know who we are? Do you know what type of trouble you’re causing by keeping us here? Let us out!”

“Aw, Lance, I know who you two are,” she chuckled, the sound making her even more familiar to me. “I didn’t forget.”

“Malone!” I jumped, pointing a finger at the creature. Keith turned to look at me strangely before realization filled his face as well. “She’s Malone!”

“This is that human looking girl from the blanket store you were flirting with?” The black haired Paladin asked, his head looking from me to Malone in confusion. “She doesn’t look anything like that girl, idiot.”

“That’s a special little secret we Sypher people have,” she grinned, the look somehow cute on her little evil person snatching body. “Sypher’s can change their body to look like whatever the ones watching them wants. If that person is thinking of a Ganbasa Snake-Seal, I can change my body to that but only whatever that person is thinking of at the time.”

“You were thinking about dark-haired human girls when we were looking for blankets, huh,” Keith huffed, throwing his arms across his chest and sending a glare my way. “This is all your fault then.”

“How is this my fault!” I jolted, moving my leg out to kick him in the back. “I can’t always control what I’m thinking!”

“That’s the worst excuse for idiotic behavior I’ve ever heard,” he groaned, turning to face Malone. “Why the hell are we hear Malone? We should have never left the Moon Mall.”

Malone had been picking at her nails bored as we argued but once she heard her name her eyes peered down at us. With an oddly grey smile with filled polished grey teeth, she said simply, **“You are on Bellterr.”**

“Where’s Bellterr, Malone?” I tried to say calmly, my heart beating fast in my chest. I could feel that I was seconds away from freaking out and that only meant Keith was almost in the same position as well.“And why are we chained to walls here? And when did we say we’d go to Bellterr!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, hold on,” she hummed. Clapping her hands, the chains immediately disappeared and she beamed as we rubbed our free wrists. Keith had a bit of blood on his wrists but he didn’t seem to mind. “Bellterr is in the Qual System on the outside of the Nil Asteroid Belt.”

Shaking my head, I tried to wrap my mind around what the hell was going on. Basically, we had been kidnapped by a tiny blue girl to a place in the middle of nowhere near an Asteroid Belt that I was sure neither Keith or I had been to. Not to mention, it seemed that we didn’t have our Bayards so there went shooting or cutting our way out. And to make matters a thousand and four times worse, the other Paladins probably didn’t know where we were. I could feel that my pockets had been emptied so there went my com phone and Keith wasn’t one to carry his. I could see just from the stiffness in Keith’s shoulders that he was going to burst in the next two seconds and rip Malone’s throat out of her neck but I had to hope he was calm enough to negotiate.

“Why are we here, Malone?”

“Most everyone calls me Mal, by the way.”

“Bad, awesome,” I chuckled, the laugh nowhere near as sarcastic as I meant it to be.

“What Lance is asking is, why the fuck are we not at the Moon Mall and on some stupid planet!” Keith shouted, making Malone jump and take a step behind the opened door. Twining her fingers into the hem of her skirt, she tried to look less nervous but with Keith’s piercing gaze on her, she was uncomfortable.

“W-Well, Bellterr is a battle country on the planet Corsca,” she began, releasing the hem of her skirt. “People that are brought here are the rarest creatures in all of the Universe and they’re brought to entertain the King and his Court.” Lifting her hand up, she pointed at Keith and I, my ankle and Keith’s shoulder. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but you’ve been branded as the King’s playthings already. I have the same mark on my ankle. The King likes rare beings like you Humans so he chose you immediately.”

I quickly lifted my pant leg to find a single white band, maybe an inch or so in thickness, tattooed to my calf. Searching Keith’s body, I found the same inch thick line on Keith’s bicep. Keith stared in shock at the line, his mouth left a little open as he ran his hand over the tattoo, wincing a bit. “Why the heck is there a tattoo on us! When did we agree to be some idiotic King’s plaything and as much as I didn’t mind being your plaything, Malone, I don’t like the idea of me being some Kings!”

“The King isn’t so bad as long as you continue to entertain him,” Mal said, her cheery face falling away a bit. “He’s already started to get bored of me so I found you two to take my place. Once you battle it out with the top three champions of the Bellterr Battle Ring, you’ll be able to live comfortably in the city! Isn’t that great! All the amazing food, shelter and parties is actually a lot of fun.”

Keith and I stared at Mal with confusion and disdain.

That’s when Keith jumped up, me jumping up with him.

Creeping up to Malone, his body a head taller than Malone’s body, Keith stared down at the small Sephyr, his hands held tight as if he was holding back from hitting her. “Move.”

“I-I can’t do that,” she stammered, clutching her hands in front of her. “I-If I let you go, then the King will be so mad and-”

“Move!” Keith shouted, making the tiny alien jump and nearly moved out of the way but finding some bit of courage she stood her ground. “Do you not enjoy living?”

“It’s not me who will die if you try to leave now!” She shouted, her voice quivering and her shoulders drooping a bit. “If you leave, I’ll have no choice but to kill your partner.”

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Why me? I didn’t do anything,” I jumped, coming to stand beside Keith. Pushing him back a bit, I turned to Mal with too many questions on my mind. “Why can’t we just go home?”

“Because once you land on Bellterr, you become a prize to be won by the Court and the King. That band on your arm and ankle are biometric signatures that only the King can remove. If yu try to leave the planet, he’ll press a button and you’ll explode,” she explained, her lips in a thin line. Keith gasped looking at my rolled up pant leg, searching for the white line. “Either you fight until you reach the top and can buy your own freedom or you remain a prize until they get bored of you.”

“And what happens when they get bored of you?” Keith asked, his shoulder shaking a bit.

“You become a Bellterran citizen who lives normally among other citizens,” she smiled, pulling her hair over to one shoulder. “Soon, I’ll be a regular Bellterran but that doesn’t mean I can’t come and visit you guys if you get lonely!”

“I don’t think you understand what you just did to us, Malone,” Keith growled, his hands reaching for the back of his belt. When he gripped at nothing, he immediately began to freak out, patting his back and sides. “Wha-Where’s the knife? Where’s my knife?”

“Oh, I had to take all of those so you wouldn’t hurt yourselves before the battle set to happen tonight,” Mal smiled, her cheeks growing a little red. “I didn’t know Humans left their prized possessions near their undergarments so I had Ray take it out. I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable she says,” Keith huffed, pacing around the room. I tried to keep calm but this was the worst thing that could happen to us. From what Malone was telling us, we were being held captive because we were rare and soon, we’d be battling it out with the top three playthings to get the top spot in order to buy our freedom. It was certain now that no one knew where we were or we wouldn’t even be here. Allura would be losing her minds if she knew we were here without our choice. Not to mention we left our Lions at the Moon Mall and there was no way we could contact the others.

“Holy Quiznak, we’re actually stuck here aren’t we,” I sighed, leaning onto the wall next to us. 

“Yup!” Malone twinkled, the look starting to slowly irritate me. 

“There has to be something we can do to not be in this situation,” I started,  my eyes following Keith’s pacing form. “We didn’t sign up for any of this and I’m one hundred percent sure there has to be a way out. We’re Voltron Paladins for Quiznacks sake! We have a mission to finish!”

**“Wow, you’re Voltron Paladins?”**

“Yes! Yes we are,” Keith jumped in, the black haired mans pacing coming to an end. “And we need to get back to our castle to protect the universe from the Galra.”

“Well, I don’t know a thing about Voltron Paladins or whatever that is but we have plenty of Galra here for you to spend time with once the King get’s bored of you,” she chuckled, pointing a finger to her nose. “And aren’t you part Galra? Even though you don’t look a lot like the normal Galra we get here, I’m sure the others would love to meet you.”

“Don’t you bring up any of that-”

“Keith relax! We need to contact our friends, Malone,” I tried to explain, placing a somewhat calming hand on Keith’s shoulder. “There’s a war going on in several parts of the Universe and they need us. Can’t we speak to the King or something? I’m sure he’d understand.”

Malone pressed a finger against her lip, contemplating what I was saying. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. “The only way to talk to the King is if he finds you two interesting enough to have as his personal playthings tonight”

“As if I’m going to let myself become a personal plaything,” Keith muttered under his breath but didn’t continued as I glared down on him. I didn’t like the sound of that either, it was too sexual but if it was something we’d have to do, then so be it.

“How do we go about that Malone?”

“Winning in the private battle arena, of course,” she grinned, pointing over her shoulder. “In just a few, what you Humans call hours, we will have a battle to commemorate your coming to Bellterr. There were only two other Rare beings that were brought today so it should be fairy simple a match.”

This was perfect. 

All we had to do was be entertaining enough in the battle against whatever alien came before us and work hard enough so the King would choose us. In choosing us, we’d get the chance to explain to him what was wrong and get home. I could see the same thoughts flooding Keith’s mind as he stood, nodding over to me. Turning to Malone with a softer look on his face, Keith said. “Then let’s get to this battle. If you give us our bayards and my knife, we can get this done a lot quicker.”

“You will receive your weapons only when you are done cleansing and when that’s done, you’ll head to the arena. I’m glad you finally came to see there’s no choice but to follow the rules of Bellterr,” Mal cheered, clapping her hands and jumping up and down. 

“Don’t get too excited. Malone,” Keith grunted. “We won’t be staying here long enough to find out.”

Ignoring Keith to turn to her left, Malone waved us over and said, “Follow me so we can get your cleansing started and once that’s done, we’ll dress you up and present you to the King.”

“Yay,” I muttered, following the little blue alien down the pure white halls, Keith standing right beside me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, they're prepping to fight in the Bellterr Arena for every ounce of freedom they had before they came! Hopefully, Keith and Lance can figure a way out of this situation without too much trouble!
> 
> Tori-chan Speaking!  
> If you don't know who or what I am, I am the dark evil side of LadyAckerman that lets all the dark and angsty stuff happen. If you see Tori-chan's name anywhere, you know that something good's bout to happen. LadyAckerman only cares about plot but I give the story a little lift when I had heated moments, feverish hands and maybe a little hurtful words to make the love real! You can always speak to me whenever something interesting comes to mind!!!! Love you little evil Tori followers!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA


	3. Chapter 3: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I just realized that I misspelled or rather misplaced hear and here in the last chapter and I am so ashamed of myself. It's just been a bit of a ridiculous couple days for me. I can't do this bruh, like I can't mess up like this.

It was pretty safe to say that I was scared.

Not, shaking in my boots, type of scared but freaking out scared. I doubted anyone liked waking up drugged with an exploding implant tattoo in their bicep but the situation irked me more than usual. How dare someone just kidnapped two Paladins of Voltron and think we would just go with what they said? It made me feel even worse when Lance noticed that I was freaking out a bit and became worried about  **me.** I was supposed to be the Leader of Voltron, the Defenders of the Universe, and I was freaked out because I woke up somewhere other than my bed. 

Nice job, Keith.

Just walking down this ridiculously white and sterile hall of, God knows where, I was more uncomfortable than I had been when Lotor was playing around with us on Thayserix. Lance was taking the lead and I was taking a backseat. Me, the one with the most fighting experience and strategic mind. Keith Kogane was literally shitting his pants because he didn’t know a good way out of this situation without his stupid knife. It bothered me even more that Lance was telling  **me** what to do. Maybe everyone was right about me being a loner that couldn’t get the team thing right. It was pretty apparent I couldn’t let someone else lead me other than Shiro. The same thing happened in the Garrison. If it weren’t for Shiro, I wouldn’t have even stayed as long as I had.

Everyone said I was a Prodigy.

It was weird when I was in the Garrison and everyone talked about how good of a Pilot I was and how my instincts were that of a Class 1 Pilot even though I was a little bad at leading. I wasn’t one to take praise well and when someone tried to tell me how to pilot the ‘Garrison Way’, I found it stupid and ridiculously slow. People told me I shouldn’t bottle up my emotions and express myself more often but when I told them their piloting was flawed or tried to help someone pilot faster and more effectively, they told me I needed to be disciplined and fair. When I didn’t want to be disciplined, they kicked me out. When I said they needed to take criticism better, they ostracized me. By the time I was finally kicked out, I only had the old shack in the middle of the desert to turn to and weird dreams haunting me day and night.

A lot of people say that once you're alone you appreciate the contact you have with other people. Growing up, I didn’t have much contact with anyone other than my Pops since my mother abandoned us a long time ago. My dad was the only one around, homeschooling me, feeding me and teaching me how to fend for myself. I never thought I’d have to lead others when I had only just learned how to really take care of myself.

“Keith?”

I looked up to see Lance and Malone standing in front of what looked like a big pool with silver water. It actually seemed a little cool to look at except Malone wanted us to go bathe in it . I didn’t trust anything I didn’t know about, well, I didn’t trust much period but Lance was taking the lead on this and he was my second-in-command. Sure, he was a little frivolous when it came to attractive aliens but when it was time to get professional, he rose to the challenge. Of course, I wouldn’t tell him that to his face, but it was always good to have someone to trust or someone you could trust more than most other people. 

“I’m fine, what’s with the silver pool?”

“It’s the King’s personal cleansing pool,” Malone replied, that sickly sweet smile on her face. “He wanted the two of you to be comfortable so he’s allowing you the chance to stay in here. The silver color you are speaking of, is a special plant based powder mixed into the liquid ice.”

“So, water,” Lance replied. “With silver plant stuff.”

“Water? What is that?” The Sephyr asked, tilting her head almost completely to the side. 

“Um, it’s liquid ice,” he tried to explain, looking to me for help. I shrugged my shoulders as she continued to look confused. Lance walked into the large room filled with gold chalices, soft white sofas and marble floors. The King sure liked lavished things and it seemed like Lance was falling for the stuff too. “Nevermind, that’s too hard to explain simply.”

“Anyway, you are to bathe in the waters until I come for you, no clothes, they break the sanctity of the pool,” she smiled, pointing to the robes in the corner. “When you’re done, you will put those on. We will dress you once the servants have prepared your battle attire.”

“Hey! It’s like a spa day,” Lance cheered, pulling his shirt over his head. The pulls of his abdominal muscles were tight and once he was disrobed, they relaxed, skin smoothing over strong sinews. Somehow over the last few months, Lance had grown muscle in his arms and shoulders that weren’t there before. His chest and stomach seemed stronger too, not like the scrawny kid that had arrived at the Garrison. When had Lance gained muscle like that? I thought the guy always sat in his room doing facial creams and scrubs. “Come on, Keith! You need a little skin motivation.” Reaching out he ruffled the top of my head, earning a growl from me. “Whoa, I didn’t think your hair was so soft.”

“S-Shut up!” I snapped, moving to the corner of the room. Lance ignored me, rolling his eyes as he continued to strip. I, conveniently, looked away as he stripped naked and slid into the baths, the sound of water flowing over filling the air.

“Ah, Keith, this is amazing! You should really come in!”

“You really must, Keith,” Malone chuckled, reaching to place a hand on my shoulder. I moved out of the way just before her hand touched me, glaring in her direction. It didn’t seem to affect her as she calmly took a step away.

“Don’t you get that I don’t like you? How can you be so cheery?” I asked, genuinely concerned with the mental state of the girl.

“Sephyr’s have no control over their emotions,” Malone replied, her smile dimming a bit. “Sephyr’s are a servant's class people. We don’t know how to express any other emotion other than happiness, surprise, trust and love. Of course we may feel variations or combinations but those come later.”

“That’s horrible,” I muttered, glancing over to Lance as he eased lower into the silver springs. He looked so happy and at peace, something I wasn’t really used to seeing. Sure, he acted happy most of the time but in his eyes, you could see just a hint of sadness right at the back. “Doesn’t that scare you? Not feeling what normal people feel.”

“Doesn’t sadness scare  **you** ?” She asked, her smile returning to full strength. “I can see just by the look in your eyes that there is so much you’re afraid of. Wouldn’t you want to live happily? Without a single care in the world to worry about?”

I didn’t answer her as she bowed her head and left the room, her words echoing in my mind.

For such an emotionless creature-thing, I was shocked at the weight of her words. I wasn’t one for dealing with things that took too much time to think over. I was a man of action; brought up that way too. My Pops moved to Texas when he was fifteen, alone and living with his uncle but after he met my mother and fell in love, he did his best to be a strong man, noble as well. When I was born, he promised himself he would raise me to be stronger than he was even though he was so amazingly strong himself. Apparently, that meant physically as well as instinctively. Pidge and Hunk always tried to tell me that I wasn’t good at communicating what I felt. I was a damn good fighter and someone you could depend on but I couldn’t tell someone how I truly felt about anything. Looking down at Lance, kicking his feet above the water, his eyes shining bright, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling just a little bit. I never understood why but Lance always made me feel something, whether it be anger, disappointment, happiness and even laughter. 

He was so good at making me feel like I was worth something.

It was strange for me.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lance muttered, coming to lean against the lips of the pool. “Is there something wrong?”

“Wha, I wasn’t looking at you like anything,” I grumbled, crossing my arms across my chest. Lance shrugged his shoulder wading farther into the pool, his bronzed skin shining under the silver light. Somehow, the silver wasn’t sticking to his skin but making it sparkle like glitter was falling down his flesh. It was mystifying seeing his long limbs pulling and kicking through the water. 

“You’re doing it again!” He shouted, jolting me back to the present. “Am I just that beautiful, you can’t keep your eyes off of me, Keith?”

“Shut up,” I grunted, moving to stand near the door. There weren’t any windows or visible cameras in the room so I couldn’t really see how the outside world looked and neither could anyone see us. I was worried, sure, but I was defenseless. My eyes scanned the room for anything that could be used as a weapon but with these stupid chips in our bodies, there was no way that we could escape without someone getting hurt or worse. “We need to get out of here.”

“We already have a plan, mullet,” Lance sighed, sitting on the steps of the pool. “All we have to do is kick some alien butt like we always do and we’re free to go.”

“You know it’s not that simple,” I replied, throwing myself into another couch. I started to uncomfortably sink into the couch, squirming back into a sitting position. “Who’s to say they won’t play us or won’t remove the implants. Even worse, they could use us as bait to get Voltron.”

“Well, we aren’t very good bait, if I say so myself,” he chuckled, lifting some of the water into his hands. “They grab the Leader of Voltron and the handsomest Sharpshooter in the Universe and expect us to just fall at their feet? It’s not like any one of the Paladins is exactly weak.”

I huffed, the sound more like a chuckle than I had expected. “Of course you would bring your appearance into this conversation.”

“What can I say! I’m sexy,” he smirked, a hand pushing his fringe out of his face, liquid silver rolling down thick fingers and high cheekbones. I felt my ears burn a bit as I looked away, rubbing the back of my neck. “Aren’t you gonna come in? It’s pretty nice inside of here. It kinda feels like a personal hot tub.”

“I’ll pass, I don’t know what that stuff will do to me.”

“It may make your skin softer,” he joked, splashing some water in my direction. The silver liquid landed near my feet, the color immediately dissipating. “Maybe add a little color to that pale skin of yours.” 

“Thanks but no thanks.”

“Come on,” he moaned, nearly lifting his body over the top of the pool. Silver glittered it’s way down his body like a silk drape covering every etch and curve of his body. It was like the water was battling his smooth skin, trying to cover every inch of him as best as it could. I could feel goosebumps cover my body like smallpox as my eyes raked his body. “It’s deliciously comfy.”

“Uh-Um, maybe I can come in for just a little while,” I muttered, reaching for the bottom hem of my jacket and slipping it off of my shoulders. “But it isn’t because you told me to.”

“Sure,” he chuckled, as I turned my body around to pull my shirt over my head. Reaching for my belt buckle, I stopped, peaking my head over my shoulders. Lance was watching me undress, his eyes wide and his hands under his chin as he leaned against the poolside. 

“Don’t look!”

“Why not! We’re both guys and there were communal showers at the Garrison so there isn’t anything on you I don’t have,” he replied, putting his chin deeper into his palm. “Maybe even a little bigger.” I glared at him as I threw my already folded clothes onto a nearby chair. “Fine, fine.” He mumbled, covering his face with his hands. “I’m not looking.”

“Thank you.”

Turning around, I kicked my boots off, unbuckled my pants and slid everything off in one go. Adding those to the folded pile, I padded over to the pool, stepping in and easing myself into the water. It was unbelievably warm, like sinking into a warm body. Somehow, it reminded me of that time Hunk hugged Pidge, Lance and I at the same time. I wouldn’t admit this to anyone but it was one of the first times in a long time that I had hugged a person. This water felt the same and the longer I sat in it, the cleaner I felt. 

“Weird right?” Lance chuckled, spinning around to look at me. Tilting his head to the side, he lifted a wet finger to his lower lip. “You actually look pretty good in silver.”

“What?” 

“Ah, a-uh, nothing,” he sputtered, pointing behind me. “I think I’m gonna get out before I raisin. It’s not good for the skin.”

“Why the hell did you make me go in then?” I huffed, crossing my arms. 

“You need to have a little more fun, Keith. This doesn't have to be  **all** bad,” he noted, splashing water into my face. I sputtered as he swam past me and began to step out. “No peeking!”

“I’m not!”

I really was trying not to. 

I promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love my little half-Galra hybrid baby from Texas. He literally breaks every mold. A little Korean boy living in the middle of Texas with his papa just makes me smile :)


	4. Chapter 4: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry! I've had so much homework and work that I've been pulling my hair!!!!

“Alright Malone! We’re dressed in those robe thingies,” I bellowed, just before the door. I called them thingies because I really didn’t know how these things covered any part of a person, alien or human. It was grossly apparent that they were made for smaller people. I could feel a slight breeze just under my butt and to tell the truth, it wasn’t as comfortable as the ladies make it seem. Knowing that Keith wasn’t at all comfortable with it, I stole his clothes and hid them where I put mine so we could both be uncomfortable together. It seemed only fair to have a partner in uncomfortableness. Thankfully, he just looked confused and clenched his legs close together as he tried to hide his upper thighs. I hadn’t realized that he was so hairless on his legs. Sure, I wasn’t super hairy either but my leg hair was a bit lighter than the hair on my head and more visible. Keith’s, however, were nearly non-existent. There was only a little bit at the inner curve of his thighs and if you looked hard enough, you could see the smooth lines of his legs, making him look that much longer. His legs were muscled, though, probably from all the extra training and nearly kicking everything in his path. I looked away briefly just to get a clear head but honestly, if he got to stare at me swimming in the cleansing pool then I was allowed a good stare too. It was only fair. “Hurry, Keith might lose more than his leg hair!”

“I have a decent amount of leg hair, idiot!” Keith shouted, bending over to look for some around his calves but just as he was about to give me a perfect view of his ass under the robe, Malone burst through the door.

“Did you enjoy the cleansing?” She smiled, her quirk slowly growing old on me. 

“It was cool, I guess, but we’d like to hurry this thing on,” I replied, pulling the bottom of my robe down. “This isn’t exactly full coverage clothing.”

“Don’t Humans like to show off their skin when it is warmer in the atmosphere?” 

“Yeah, when we have trunks on or clean underwear,” Keith grumbled, giving up on the hem. “And it’s girls that are okay with their butts showing, not guys.”

“Don’t speak for all of us,” I mumbled, loud enough for only Keith to hear me.

“Girls?” She asked, turning to look at Keith. “Are you not the only form of Humans?”

“No,” he muttered, looking to me for help. 

Once again I had to save the great Keith Kogane by explaining.

“Well, Malone, if you didn’t know, there are all sorts of genders in Humans,” I started, counting on my fingers. “There are Men, which I am and Keith somewhat, then there are Women. But there are also Men who dress like Women and Women who dress like men. Not to mention, people who are a little bit of both. Humans can be whatever they want really. It all depends on the mind.”

“Is that the Voltron you speak of then? A mixture of both?”

“Uh, not really,” I replied, now looking to Keith for help but he didn’t really get the message. 

**Typical.**

“Look, why don’t we just head out to this battle thing and get it over with so we can leave,” I smiled, waving my hand towards the door. “Lead the way Sephyr.”

“Follow me, Humans,” she chuckled. I suppose she thought I was making a joke or trying to make her laugh. Nevertheless, she opened the door and we followed her out of the cleansing area and down several other halls. It was weird seeing completely bare walls with all white floors and ridiculously clean ceilings. Having travelled to a lot of planets, I’d seen my share of palaces and great halls. Each had paintings of their previous rulers or ridiculous looking vases, at least a dirt speck or two but the entire hall was clean and clear. As we walked through the hall, I tried to picture what the King of this type of palace would look like. Probably some ridiculously prim aristocrat or some severely short guy with cleaning problems. 

Following the tiny Sephyr, her long tail swaying as she walked, I noticed the same white tattoo was wrapped around the tip of her tail. Looking to Keith, I noticed something strange. Why would a King place a device that could potentially blow up around such ridiculous areas of the body? Keith’s implant was on his bicep and mine was around my ankle. If the implant blew up, Keith would lose an arm and I’d lose a foot. Aside from that, we wouldn’t necessarily die. I didn’t know much about Sephyrs but I guessed without a tail, Sephyrs could live. 

“Now, as I was saying, you must give the Court your upmost, how do you say? Attention? I’m not very versed in this English you Humans speak,” Malone muttered, turning to face us. She continued to walk backwards without a single worry of running into a wall. Once she neared one, she was able to turn with ease.

“How do you even know English, Malone?”

“As the Royal Translator and current Right Hand to the King, I have to know at least fifty of the most common Universal languages.”

“Universal Languages, huh?” Keith mumbled, crossing his arms carefully. “We’ve been all over the galaxy and we’ve only heard that the universal language was English or stuff like it.”

“There are fifty languages among the Royalty of the Universe,” she explained, turning another corner. “Kleptoronian, Seyphridian, Maldartian, and many more. About ten thousand years ago, Altean was a primary language too.”

“Altean…” Keith muttered, glancing over to me. I shook my head a bit, worry filling my mind. The Alteans were extinct as far as we knew. Aside from Alternate Realities, Altea was destroyed, leaving Allura and Coran the only one’s left. If this King learned about them, he would want Allura and Coran to compete, or worse, he’d try to keep them to himself as pets. “Sounds like a mighty race.”

“They were! Even though Altean is a dead language, I learned it anyway,” Malone smiled, tilting her head in a dreamy sort of way. “The Kingdom of Altea was beautiful when I visited. It’s only natural that it was destroyed out of jealousy.”

“You were alive over ten thousand years ago?” Keith interceded, his head turning to look at me as well.

“Of course,” she chuckled, turning another corner. “Weren’t you?”

“Um…”

Neither Keith or I responded  again as we followed her to the ends of the hall. Finally, we had reached a heavy, metal door that was painted blue of all colors. The keypad on the side of the door was numbered and hand locked, making it that much harder for us to escape. As Malone pressed in the keys, a series of high and low pitched sounds, she placed her palm on the scanner and revealed an empty room. 

There were two, black pods shaped like tanning beds placed against the walls of the room. On a small table in the middle of the room were our Bayards, looking polished and cleaned.

“Malone, are those our Bayards?” Keith smirked, rushing over to grab his. It wasn’t exactly his but Shiro’s, since it was the Black lions but that didn’t change the look on his face as he held it in his hands.

“Of course, Mullet, they don’t look like anyone else's,” I bubbled, earning myself a frown from Keith and a chuckle from Malone. Turning it over, Keith twisted his wrist far enough to turn the handle, immediately forming his favorite sword. A soft smile grew on his face as he pressed it to his chest, my own chest warming as I watched him. I walked over to join him, reaching for his Bayard, I mean, mine. Or was it Red’s since honestly that Lion had a mind of it’s own and I was just out for the ride.

I could feel Keith’s gaze over my shoulder as I clenched Red’s bayard against my chest. The cold metal was comforting and it let me relax just a little. For one moment, it felt like everything was finally going to be alright, like we were going home. But that didn’t make me feel comforted when I finally remembered that we would have to fight in order to do so. That’s when I noticed another package on the table beneath our Bayards.

Turning to Keith, I said, “Look, there’s something else there too. Probably for you since I don’t carry more than one weapon like some people.” Pointing down to the covered envelope on the table, I watched Keith nearly drop his Bayard. Scrambling shaking fingers over the envelope, he tore it open to reveal his blade, the one precious thing he needed to keep to himself. I swore I could see a few tears well up in his eyes as he searched for a pocket to hide it in. “You seem happy now.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, choosing to hold it. “ **It’s kind of a part of me.** ”

“I understand,” I smiled, tightening my grip on my Bayard, the only real thing I had that was kind of a part of me. “That’s how I feel about my face scrub.”

Keith huffed a laugh, shaking his head and letting his dark hair fall a bit in his face. I hadn’t noticed how nice his hair actually was until I had touched it earlier. It was ridiculously soft and the tresses fell perfectly around his face. Sure, it was a mullet, no doubt, but it was one of the most luxurious mullets I had ever seen. I wasn’t going to tell that to his face.

Never. 

“I’m glad both of you are very happy about your weapons,” Malone giggled, closing the door behind her. Pointing to the pods to our left and right, she said. “These pods will give you the attire you desire to battle in. Just think about what you want to wear and it will manufacture it around your body. You may keep the robes on, they help with the process.”

“That would have been so useful for us in the Castle,” I noted, walking over to the pod.“You know how many times I’ve washed clothes in the past week?”

“Washed clothes?” The Sephyr sighed, tilting her head to the side. “You Humans are so weird.”

Keith and I shared a glance as we turned toward the capsules. Neither Keith nor I wanted to be away from our weaponry so when we sat in the capsules, we held them to our chests, just in case something went wrong. Malone walked over to Keith’s capsule, closing it and placing the latch down before walking over to me. I wasn’t claustrophobic since I’ve been in the healing pods a hundred times but this was a little closer than I was comfortable with. The lights made it nearly impossible to keep my eyes open so I just focused on what Malone had said. If I think about my Paladin suit hard enough, I’d be able to have it on right? Just think about it hard enough.

At some point, I had drifted asleep and Malone had woken me up with an eerie smile on her face. When I reached for her hand to lift myself up, I noticed the dark black gloves around my hands and the tell-tale blue and white armor covering my forearms. Sitting up, I threw my armor covered legs over the top of the capsule and kicked my ankles together as my boots were perfectly tightened around my feet. I could feel the smile growing on my face as I looked up to find Keith in the same outfit, his helmet in his hands, blade tucked away safely in it’s pocket. 

“Not bad, alien tech, not bad,” I muttered, standing up to join Keith. “Wish I had a mirror though, I could totally show it off to you.” Malone didn’t get my flirt as she looked over to Keith as though I was speaking to him. I followed her glance to his face, the worry lines softer and the furrow of his untrimmed brows was a bit smoother. He seemed a little more comfortable than he was before, the semi-murderous gleam in his eyes dimming. “Better?”

“So much better,” he hummed, standing up to look at Malone. He gave her a weird look as she walked over to the door, throwing it open and walking through the doors. I could almost read his mind as I he stood there.

“Don’t even think about it,” I grumbled, throwing an arm over his shoulder.

“What?” He asked, crossing his arms. “You don’t even know what I’m going to do!”

“You were planning on trying to take her out while we had our Bayards, steal a ship and escape off of this planet,” I said, my voice monotone. I watched as a blush covered his face and neck in a beautiful shade of red. “We still have these implants in our bodies and last time I checked, we don’t know where we are. It’s okay, we’ll get back soon. I know you miss your Lion slippers.” 

“This isn’t a joke, Lance! How are you so sure we’ll have a way out?” He grumbled, crossing his arms and cocking his hip to the side. I chuckled at his attempt to be domineering but it was a Keith thing. He always complained about being the leader but he always tried to take steps to lead. It was cute of him to be so predictable but at the same time, not. That’s what I found so interesting about him. There was never knowing what was going through Keith’s head.

“Let’s just say it was an educated guess,” I smiled, tugging him forward to follow after Malone, Keith’s eyebrows raised in confusion. “Trust me, Mullet. Have I ever been wrong?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight flirting, some cutesy remarks and a quicky arm touching sooooooooo  
> Comment for me, I tried :)


	5. Chapter 5: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING!!!!  
> FIGHTING SCENE WILL BE UNDERLINED  
> blood is mentioned and slicing stuff etc.

To say I was feeling a little better since I was armed was a bit of an understatement. 

Sure, what Lance said was a little right and sure, he was sometimes right about situations dealing with people in general but Lance didn’t take danger the right way. It was clear after he got us kidnapped that maybe two or three escape plans needed to be made whenever we entered a room. When we were in there armed and with man power we should have just throttled Malone. The weird pods created whatever we thought of so that meant our suits had all the built ins we used as a Paladin. That meant communications links, shields and if we were lucky jet boots. We had everything we needed in order to escape together.

But Lance just had to pop my bubble.

We had everything except for a way to remove the implants. 

As we followed the smaller alien in the group, I noticed that Lance was standing pretty close to me. Not in a weird sort of way but in a very Lance way. He wasn’t one to shy away from physical contact and he constantly reminded me of it when he was flirting but he was starting to stand a little closer than normal recently and it wasn’t going unnoticed. We weren’t exactly touching but that didn’t change the heat I felt burning off of his skin only inches away from mine. It wasn’t a fact but fairly close that Lance was a very physical person and I didn’t mean combat physical. Whenever he was excited that we had defeated an army of Galra drones, he always wanted to hug someone or place his hand on their shoulder. Sometimes it was Pidge, other times it was Hunk and if he was feeling fairly brave it would be Shiro but the off chance he was with me, he would pull me into a tight hug, laying his head on mine. His body was filled with long limbs for some reason too and the longer he hugged me the more flushed I’d get. 

The idiot had a weird body temperature too.

One time he caught a cold, or something like one, and for some reason, he stole every blanket on the ship to make a fort. Everyone babied him of course, and when he asked me with snot dripping down his nose and hair mussed from sleep if I wanted to cuddle with him, I punched him in the shoulder. Everyone said I was mean for doing that but his remark caught me off guard and most things that catch me off guard get punched.

Maybe it was true that idiots bodies were as resilient as their brains because the guy was fine the next day and was back to asking me ridiculous questions. I’m not saying I minded him asking me questions since it was a lot better than us argueing but sometimes I wanted to train and he wanted to ask me if he could paint flames on Red’s shoulders. Our arguing had gotten a lot better once Shiro disappeared and it wasn’t left unnoticed. Allura constantly complimented our teamwork and I tried not to let it creep into that homey part of my brain. If I let all of this phase me too much it would be a disaster in the end. Someday, all of us would return to Earth and Hunk, Shiro, Pidge and Lance would head to the Garrison as heroes and I’d return as the undisciplined loner. Shiro would probably become a Pilot for another crazy mission in space, Hunk and Pidge would graduate top of their class and Lance would become the Fighter Pilot he’s always dreamed of being. 

He really already was but I couldn’t tell him that I’d miss all of this.

I’ve lived a long time without physical contact and normal conversation but now that I had it, I didn’t want to let it go. 

Even with Lance.

I had to stop thinking about this the farther we walked through the stupid halls of this stupid palace. I hadn’t really noticed until now but there was more and more color painting the walls and ceilings. At first it was just a small, pink vase but the further we got the more artwork and wall murals were up. They were really beautiful and full of color but I couldn’t wrap my brain around how weird it was.

Why the hell was everything so colorful when people were on their way to battle?

Not to be overly bloody but war wasn’t exactly clean, bright and full of happy rainbows. It was covered in blood, broken limbs and losing loved ones. Muscles were torn out of place and blows to the head left stars in your eyes. Battles were meant to be more than just physical and mental but emotional as well. You had to really want to hurt the other person or have a good reason to do so in order to be a part of it. These odd paintings and sculptures made of fine glass and metal were just tiny pieces that made what was to come seem like Hell.

Shiro always said that if everything could be resolved without war or bloodshed that he would be the first to try it. 

Allura felt the same way and I was sure Coran saw a lot of wars in his time.

Pidge, Lance and Hunk both were far too innocent to have to deal with all of the hurt that came with war but the moment we were dropped on Allura’s doorsteps, we were thrown into it. 

It was suffocating and broken.

Whether I wanted to or not I was a part of what was breaking things.

**I was part Galra.**

Part of the Enemy.

**I was going to hurt them someday wasn’t I?**

**Allura, Coran, Hunk, Pidge, Shiro, Lan-**

“Hey man, you okay?” Lance muttered, turning those dark eyes in my direction. I still wasn’t used to the soft kindness in his eyes when he looked at me. It had only started but after Shiro disappeared and I was made leader, there was a new light in his eyes when he looked at me. I didn’t understand how I felt about it but it always made me stare into those brown eyes just a little longer. “Keith? Yo, Mullet!”

“Oh, yeah,” I mumbled, shaking my head a bit. “What happened?” I looked around to see that Malone was absent and we were standing in front of a metal door. This one was different than the others since it was partially open and I could hear the sounds of cheering echoing through the halls. The sound was thumping against my skull as my heart started to beat faster and blood began to pour into tense muscles. Just the thought of a battle possible being able to occur was making all of my instincts fire. 

Was this what made me Alien?

“Weren’t you listening? Malone said that we just have to go through those doors and our opponents would be waiting for us,” Lance sighed, looking at the open door with worry. “She didn’t tell me what kind of Aliens they were but she said it’s based on our abilities out of fairness.”

“That’s annoying,” I grumbled, reaching for the door but as my hand grabbed the handle, another laid atop mine. “What’s wrong?”

“Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?” He whispered, clenching his hand over mine for just a moment before letting go. I stared down at his gloved fingers as warm heat burned through the polyester. “We can’t lose our fearless leader, right?”

“We can’t lose our sharpshooter either,” I smirked, patting him on the shoulder and trying not to look at him directly. I let my hand linger just a moment too long before, I felt my skin warm. “Look. Don’t try to one up me, you’ll lose.”

“Whatever, Samurai,” he chuckled, the sound soft and tired sounding. “Just remember what I said.”

“I heard you, Lance,” I responded, pulling the door open and letting the sounds of the crowds melt into my mind. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

  
  
  


The sound was deafening and the chants were in an indistinguishable language. Just above our heads and surrounding us like traffic were the citizens of Bellterr, all of different sizes, strands, weight and specimen, none looking like the other. Some of the species were ones I had seen before while others looked like things of nightmares or a child’s imagination. Ones with seven horns around their eyes, skin made primarily of scars and a few with too many eyes to count. While others looked human with little variations that were distinctly inhuman. The ones that looked human had another eye in the middle of their head or none at all, even some with ever changing skin were added amongst the mix. 

The arena was larger than I had imagined, filled with mounds of black sand and white gravel. Standing above us was a wall about fifteen feet tall and just high enough that we couldn’t climb it with our boots. Even if we could, I could see a thin barrier blanketing the crowd from us.

I turned to say something to Lance but he had already placed his helmet on, clutching his Bayard in his hands. I slipped my helmet on before turning fully to the crowd, the audience's screams getting louder. 

“People of Bellterr!” A voice crackled above our heads, booming through the stands and silencing the crowds. “We are here to welcome our newest Champions. Their home is called EAArth and they are known as Voltron Paladins or Humans! Though their bodies look weak and easily broken, these are the strongest Humans in all of the Universe. Welcome them into our arena and cheer for Keef and Lans!”

“Keef,”I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. I heard Lance clicked the coms on and his effortless laughter bellow through as the crowds chanted our names.

“Yeah, your name is Keef, right? Don’t you remember?” 

“Your name is Lans so I think we’re in the same boat,” I retorted, kicking up some of the sand in his direction. “Now, where are our opponents?”

“I think we should have stayed in the cell,” he gulped, pointing in front of us at the two behemoths that were walking in our direction.  They both reminded me of the storybook cyclops's; large, ugly and covered in hair but what made it completely worse was the sight of their eyes stacked above one another. One was a bit smaller with chest coverings that made me believe it was a female, while the other wore only a loincloth and the hair atop its head was slicked against it’s odd shaped skull. Slime and mucus dripped out of their eyes and fell to the floor, burning holes into the ground Acid tears, coupled with enormous arms and muscles, and I can’t forget the giant swords strapped to their backs.

We were eternally screwed if we didn’t get a plan set in motion.

“How do you want to go about this, Oh Fearless Leader?” Lance mumbled, the sound of his dread in his voice. “I’m open for all suggestions.”

“Um, I’m working on it.” Suddenly, a horn sounded in the distance as the two equally disgusting Cyclopes things ran in our direction, saliva dripping from their mouths and forming more acid holes in the ground. “Alongside the acid spit do you see any weak spots?”

“I’m not looking for weak spots at the moment,” he grumbled, pulling his bayard to eye height before letting it form into his blaster rifle. Firing fifteen shots in the blink of an eye, he fired blazing blue laser light at the eyes of the aliens, hitting the mark with pinpoint accuracy. I could never understand how he could do that under pressure so well but what he couldn’t do, I could. That was probably what made us such a good team. 

Legs bent and freshly formed sword in hand, I tried to think of ways to take them down without having to kill them. All we were supposed to do was defeat them in a way that would keep them down. As one of the male looking one’s, or I assumed was the guy alien, tried to pick up the other one, I watched the sinews in their arms pull and tighten. Where there were muscles, there were joints and tendons. If I could easily cut down a tendon in their legs, they wouldn’t be able to fight.

“I can see that brain burning through your helmet,” Lance said, his voice a little muffled due to the rising cheers of the crowd. “Got an idea?”

“Remember Anatomy class in the Garrison?” I asked, turning to look at him. He shrugged his shoulders as he cocked Red’s blaster on his hip. 

“As much as everyone else remembers,” he commented, turning to look at me. “It was a bit-oof!”

An enormous arm flashed before me and disappeared in that same second, throwing Lance a hundred feet away like a rag doll. His body laid motionless on the ground as another flash passed me and the shadow enveloped my whole body. Instincts took over as I rolled out of the way, narrowly missing a foot stepping down on me. My hands clenched around my blade as I was prepared to attack it full on but the weak sound of Lance groaning over com made me turn back to him. 

**“Lance! I’m coming, hold on!”**

“That’s the Arisians for you,” the announcer chuckled. “They may look big but with a bit of time, they can sprint faster than a Glapsor running after Kanta. Makes those puny Humans look so weak in comparison.”

Sending a glare up to the crowd, I ran in Lance’s direction, reaching down to place his head on my lap before removing the shield on his helmet. Blood was dripping from his lips and nose, his hair covering his eyes.  He wasn’t moving and his arm was twisted in the wrong direction so I was sure that it was broken.  Moving his hair from his eyes, I discovered that he was unconscious and without him by my side I was a little distraught. I glanced over to the Arisians as they chest bumped and waved to the crowd as if their victory was assured. The smaller one turned to me and spit in my direction, the sound of sizzling acid burning in the ground only a few feet away from me. 

It had to be now or never. If I was defeated, we would lose and be stuck here forever. Even though Lance was wrecked with a single punch, I wasn’t scared. I had to protect Lance with all I had left. 

Picking up Lance’s blaster, I laid his body down as gently as possible, pulling my helmet off of my head and letting it fall beside him.

Placing my eye through the finder, I aimed for their eyes again, firing four shots in each eye. It wasn’t as perfect as Lance but it was effective.The screams of the Arisians warmed my blood as I dropped the blaster and sprinted toward them, my breathing even and cold sweat dripping down my spine. I targeted the smallest one first, slicing through the tendons in it’s ankle and up the thigh as far as I could reach. The Arisian cried out as it fell to it’s knees, it’s head now within my reach. I sliced up the top of it’s shoulder, burrowing my blade deep into its shoulder cuff, hitting bone. I watched as green oozed from its wounds and, finally taking a breath, I watched it drip and pool. The alien fell to the ground as the cheers of the crowd grew louder and louder.

As I reached up to wipe the sweat from my brow, I narrowly missed the incoming fist from the taller Arisian. Sliding down the unconscious body of the other and through the legs of the taller one, I turned to meet the back of the larger one, shoulders as wide as a truck. I jumped onto the it’s belt to thrust my blade into it’s side, praying I hadn’t hit a key organ before jumping off, blade still embedded in it’s side. This only seemed to anger the Arisian as it plucked the weapon out like a splinter and threw it across the room. This left me nearly weaponless as I flicked my shield up just in time to, protect my body from the spit of the Arisian. The shield flickered and disappeared as the acid melted through. I threw the broken glove onto the floor as the acid ate away at it. Some had found it’s way through and burned part of my forearm but I tried to ignore it with clenched teeth.

I didn’t have time to protect the arm as the Arisian launched more acidic spit in my direction and I rolled to get out of the way. The alien had planned for this and threw a heavy fist to my stomach. I doubled over in pain as the Arisian toed my body over and pressed a heavy foot against my back, slow rolls of pressure crushing my lungs and making it harder to breath.

“AH!”

“It seems that Gartak has the Keef Human at a disadvantage! Unless the Human declares his loss, Gartak will crush him!”

**“NEVER!”**

I couldn’t let this happen to us.

If I conceded, Lance and I would be left here forever!

We had to get back!

We had to go home!

Together!

**“GAH!”**

My eyes were getting heavy and the lack of oxygen was starting to take it’s toll on me. Hands were digging into the sand around me and the creaking of my armor breaking was reassuring my death. 

I was going to die here.

**At least Lance was safe…..**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE DON'T HATE ME FOR CLIFFHANGERS!!!!
> 
> Also, if it doesn't inconvinience or anything, please share my story with people because I want others to read my stuff. I read stuff also and I blast them on Tumblr and Twitter and Insta all the time because they deserve it! We work shit hard on these and it's our babies so please let others know about it!!!!
> 
> also it's only days from Season 4 so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	6. Chapter 6: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to ONE WEEK BEFORE SEASON 4

Everything hurt.

Aside from the throbbing in my spine and the thumping in my skull, I was sure that I had somehow died. Every nerve in my body was number or somewhat dead and as I opened my eyes, I felt the warmth of a blanket wrapped around my body. Everything ached liked a full day of training on top of a week of flight simulations that all crashed. This was the second time in hours that I had woken up somewhere I couldn’t remember. Others might find that interesting but I only found it annoying.

I closed my eyes for a bit longer, just to get over the headache before opening them again, this time wider. Above my head was the telltale white ceiling of a building and as I tilted my head to the side, I could see that I was lying in a bed against a wall. My head was placed on two pillows and my hair was laid under my head. I didn’t feel sticky, so I was sure that I was bathed, another thing that was slightly annoying. 

Itching for movement, I stretched my legs out farther, feeling the muscles strain and ache before slowly warming up to a comfortable buzz. My back was still stiff and I could feel the bruises that had settled into my back. 

I was being crushed last I remembered.

To death, actually. 

How had I gotten up?

Where was Lance?

“La-, ugh, Lance?” I croaked, saliva thick in my throat and my tongue dry. “Lance!”

As I tried to sit up and move, thick red hands lightly pushed me down. Head turned on a swivel as I followed the red hands up to equally red forearms and muscles. Just beside me was a creature with red skin and black hair, nails as dark as night and dressed in dark pants and shirt. The alien had concerning yellow eyes and a single two inch horn stuck in the middle of his head. I tried to shuffle my body out of the way but I was too weak to fight him off.

“Don’t move too much, Keith Human,” the alien said, his voice deep, a grim gaze in his eyes. “You nearly died on the Battlegrounds.”

“Who are you? Where am I? What’s going on?”

“Please try to go slow,” he chuckled, removing his hands from my chest. Bowing his head down a bit, he said. “I’m fairly new to this English you Humans speak so it takes me a bit to understand what you are saying. Mal has tried to beat me, I mean, teach me but it hasn’t held as well as you would suppose.”

Mal? Wasn’t that the name of that little blue alien that got us into this? This guy knew the Sephyr and I was sure the Sephyr knew where Lance was.

“Can you take me to Lance? Or at least Malone?”

“The Lance Human? Yes, I, Rakmusrakalinakimasta Son of Makrinmostalmarkathian will take the Human Paladin of Voltron, Keith to see his partner!”

“Um….sure, thanks,” I commented, lifting a tired hand up to the guys offered one. “Um, Raka, I mean, Rakmustard. Look, do you have a nickname?”

The alien nodded his head quickly, dark hair moving into place. “Everyone calls me Ray. Do you have a nickname, Keith Human?”

“No, and it’s Keith, not Keith Human or Lance human, just the name,” I retorted, gripping onto Ray’s outstretched hand. With the little muscle strength I had left, I pulled myself up and leaned against the wall. My back was still ridiculously tender so I didn't lean back all the way. This gave me the perfect chance to see what I was dressed in and where I was. Someone, probably Ray, had put a long, white, gown on me that nearly covered my feet. All of the gear I had fought in was gone and were nowhere to be found. The room reminded me of a hospital, filled with white walls, nurses running around outside ,tubes and bottles and the occasional filled syringe. I wasn’t one for hospitals but if this was where I had found myself, I felt a little lucky. “Do you know what happened exactly? I can’t remember after I passed out.”

“Do you mean the battle?” I nodded as he continued. “You were being crushed by the Arisian Champion when your partner, Lance, blasted him in the hipcklo.”

“Hipcklo?”

“Oh, in your language that means the lower back,” he clarified, turning to open a closet. “The lower back of Arisians is the weakest part. Once you hit that, you kill them.”

“Kill them!” I shot up, moaning as pain climbed up  my back. “Lance killed someone?”

“Kill, oh, no! I meant knock out, silly me,” Ray chuckled, his laugh a bit off. “That means you won the first battle.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” I sighed, placing my hands in my lap. “I know Lance wouldn’t like that if he had killed someone during a sport.”

“I doubt your partner is thinking of that now,” Ray commented, walking over to another side of the room. Pulling on what looked like a wheelchair with ridiculously large wheels, Ray continued. “He was broken.”

“Broken,” I whispered, my heart dropping to my feet. “Wh-did you translate wrong again?”

“No, I don’t think,” Ray pondered, leaning against the handles of the chair. “Malone says that Humans can be broken, so they need rest to become unbroken.”

“Damn,” I muttered, clenching my fists in the sheets. The idiot had really gotten hurt while we were talking. If only I had paid more attention to the opponent other than focusing on Lance. I was so used to having cover fire from Hunk or Pidge bringing me back to attention that I took Lance’s protection for granted. I really was a useless leader. “Can I really see him?”

“Of course I will bring you to your partner. It must be hard thinking that your partner can be hurt, or broken,” he smiled, pearly whites annoying the hell out of me. I had to admit, the alien was somewhat human looking and fairly attractive for an alien. If he didn’t have red skin and pitch black hair hiding a horn, he’d probably be model worthy on Earth. “But I fear he has not woken up, so you can only see his face.”

“It’s just like Lance to sleep a few hours after a fight,” I huffed, sliding into the ready chair. 

“Oh, it has not only been hours, or I think it’s been more than hours,” he retorted, placing a thumb against his lower lip. “It has been what you would call days. It’s been seven suns settings since your last battle.”

Seven sun settings?

It’s been a week!

I was asleep for a week!

No, wait, Lance has been asleep for a week too!

“I need to see Lance now,” I urged, reaching for the wheels of the chair. Ray shooed them away as he took the handles and guided me out of the door. My conclusion that this was like a hospital was correct. I was stationed in a room surrounded by the quieter nurses and doctors, all of different species and sizes. Ray was popular as he spoke several of the languages, throwing comments and laughs as we passed them. Counters and large murals covered the space and the floor was a non-sterile black. Pushing past the crowds and entering a quieter portion of the hospital, Ray slid me in front of a pair of doors before pressing his hand against the keypad. The scanner scanned his palm before automatically opening. 

 

The room was bright. 

Large windows flooded bright yellow light into the small room and somehow, the light fell perfectly on the single bed sitting against the wall. A screen covered the view of the outside world but I didn’t care as I looked down to Lance’s body. He was covered in a dark blue blanket, his arm placed across his chest in a sling and his head held up by two, white pillows. As Ray rolled me closer, I reached a hand out to touch his, only to see that his nail beds were torn and bruises peppered up and down where the gown didn’t cover. The black and blue imperfections made his perfect skin look wrong. If Lance saw himself like this, he would be devastated. The idiot cared a lot about outer appearance even though there wasn’t much that he had to worry about. It wasn’t a secret that Lance cared about how he looked and took steps to care for himself but a week without facial creams and manicures would make an awake Lance scream.  

“Why is liquid falling from your eyes, Keith?” Ray interrupted, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Are you in the pain Malone warned me about?”

“What?”

“There is liquid falling from your eyes,” Ray commented, reaching up to wipe the water near my face. “See.”

Was I really crying?

I rubbed my eyes until it hurt, ignoring Ray’s constant comment on why liquid was falling from my face. Once I felt like my eyes would bleed, I left them alone as I looked back to Lance. His face was bruised too, a purple mark just beside his chin. His hair had gotten a bit unruly and someone had forgotten to shave his stubble. Little brown hairs had grown around the sides of his cheek and just around his upper lip. His body didn’t have that glow that I was used to seeing around Lance. I reached for his hand, trying my best to hold his hand without hurting him. 

Somehow, his body was still so warm but his fingertips were cold.

“I’ll leave you here while I find Mal,” Ray whispered, bowing his head before he left. I didn’t take my eyes off of Lance as I heard the door open and close. 

The moron had risked his own life and saved mine.

I guess that meant I owed him something. 

Actually, I owed him more than one thing since I got him hurt in the first place and he was the one who had to save me. To think that he was able to wake up just in time to shoot the Arisian in just the right spot was miraculous. It would make the rest of the team proud for him but I was just angry. Why would he risk his own life for me? He should have just forfeited if he woke up. We stood no chance and we were just lucky that we survived so far. For all we knew, the moment he shot, the Arisian would have raced in his direction and sliced his head off or kept hitting him for fun. We didn’t know where we were and we didn’t know what opponents we were going to see. To think that this was what fate had played for us and it left the two of us holding onto each other for safety. 

If anyone had told me this before I would have said it was a bad joke. 

No single person would put Lance and I together on a planet. Everyone on the team knew that Lance and I couldn’t compliment each others weaknesses like Pidge could or Hunk could, even the Princess. I was always a loner and Lance, being a Sniper had everyone’s back. I always knew he was there but he was never on the battlefield with me when hundreds of Galra soldiers came running our direction. He always had my back and I never had his.

Now was the time for that to change.

  
  


A while later, a nurse came him, her scaly green skin, tentacles for hair and four arms creeped me out a bit but she had a fairly good hold on the English language so I couldn’t complain.

“He has a broken elbow and dislocated shoulder,” the nurse explained, pushing a stray tentacle behind her ear.  “His lungs nearly collapsed and his right quadricep was torn almost all the way through. He won’t be recovering anytime soon, not as fast as you did. Your Galra blood made you heal faster than most Humans.”

Great. The stupid alien in me made me heal faster. 

Good job, freak.

“For all the damn technology you aliens have, you don’t have healing pods?” I growled, clenching the handles of my chair. My back and spine were tight but I didn’t feel like complaining or asking for help. Lance needed to be fixed. Now.

“The King does not allow healing pods after battle,” the nurse sighed, her black irises expanding as she thought. “I wish they did. It makes our hospitals very full after battles when the injured are hauled in and no healing pods are allowed.”

I groaned as I looked at Lance’s chart leaning against a table. It had a diagram of his body, nearly every part of his body filled with notes or red highlights. “Do you know what happened to me?”

“We were very lucky with you,” the nurse chuckled, reaching for a chart that was beside Lance’s. “You had a punctured lung, torn back muscles and heavy bruising with splintered bone near your spine. We were able to keep you medicated and shift the muscles in place for you to auto heal. It was touch and go for a while but for some reason, we couldn’t get your heart to slow down. Once it did, you started to heal. Your body just worked itself back in place. Something that should have taken eighty sun settings at least only took four.” Replacing my chart where Lance’s was, she went over the notes, whispering, “It wasn’t so easy with your partner, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“We had to re-break his elbow and pull his leg into a splint before it became impossible for him to heal properly,” the nurse sighed, looking away from our charts with closed eyes. “Human anatomy makes it so painfully hard for you to heal. We only medicated him with what could let him sleep. He’ll be sore but it’s necessary if he is to battle again-”

“Fuck the battle!” I shouted, scaring the nurse as she reached for the button the wall. I couldn’t stop myself from whispering, “Will he be able to walk again? Raise his arms over his head?”

The Nurse looked down at me with a pitiful glance that made me want to stand up and run. I hated pitiful glances and sympathy that wasn’t ofunded. Especially from someone who lived on this godforsaken planet that let Lance get hurt. This was all my fault and I was taking out on a single nurse.

“Look, I don’t give a damn about battling on this stupid planet,” I growled, reaching for Lance’s hands to hold on to the little bit of sanity I had left in me.“I need him to be okay! Will he be okay?”

The Nurse didn’t look at me as she nodded her head.

“Good,” I whispered, laying my head down against the side of his leg, careful to stay away from the bandage. 

**He looked so broken.**

“Please be okay, Lance…”

Somehow the stress of it all took over and I could feel my eyes close as the fingers in my hands twitched. 

  
  


There was a warm hand pressed to my temple, mushing the bangs from my face and filing thin fingers through tresses. It was so warm and soft, little bits of callouses scraping against my scalp and nail tips untangling knots. The voices in the back were muffled and my hands were clenched in something soft and cold. Somehow, it got warmer as a blanket was laid over my shoulders, pulling me back into the sweet hold of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like my Bellterr fans are losing to my Zills fans in terms of commenting. Am I not doing a good job on this story or is it just that I don't have enough fans on this or is it that you don't like?
> 
> I need responses or I feel like I'm doing a trash job.  
> Now I feel needy....  
> GAHHH


	7. Chapter 7: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WHO'S READY FOR THE NEXT SEASON!!!!

“You nearly died, Lance.”

Yeah, I know. Not what you want to hear when you wake up for the first time. 

If someone told me that I would wake up in a hospital with a broken elbow, dislocated shoulder, torn quadricep and Keith’s hand in mine, I probably would have asked what weed they were using and if I could have some. But when I woke up with the rambunctious Paladin’s pale fingertips in mine, I decided not to let it go and let the dream continue for just a little longer. I didn’t want to ruin the moment especially since I ‘forgot’ our last bonding moment. That was a secret I’d probably never tell him until it was completely necessary. 

I had to be honest though, I felt like I had been hit by a ship. 

Every bone and muscle felt pulled or torn.

My elbow hurt when I thought about it too long, I couldn’t stretch my legs and my shoulder was ridiculously stiff. My head hurt too and I could taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. As I looked out at the now opened window, I couldn't believe what had happened to me. The sight of Bellterr out of my window was just too beautiful to be such a terrible place. It reminded me of the photos of Dubai with large skyscrapers and big, glass windows frosted with beautiful reds and greens.From so high, I could see the thousands of aliens looking like ants from above. Some seemed big enough to take up the whole street while others were flying from above. Beautiful murals of oddly colored flowers filled empty spaces and the sky was a bright purple with it’s own set of three suns just to make the sky that much brighter. Bellterr was more gorgeous than a world I could have imagined myself but the small moment of awe I felt was instantly destroyed when I thought back to the battlegrounds. I could remember the the sounds of the crowds cheering when the Champions arrived, each citizen knowing what was to come. Thought Bellterr looked like a beautiful oasis, just beneath the surface, there was a bloodthirsty leader who forced tourists to fight for their freedoms. 

I didn’t remember exactly what had happened before I was knocked out. Malone told me I got punched by one of the Arisian’s, blacked out, came to just when Keith was being crushed by one and reacted by shooting at the Arisian with a broken elbow and dislocated shoulder. Then, being the Prince I was, I had to pass out again and be completely useless. Malone told me that since I passed out just after the Arisian did, Keith and I, technically, won. Somehow, I had managed to do that twice twice in my life. Maybe it’s something in Cuban blood that makes you want to wake up at the best opportunity to save the ones you care about. 

When Malone came back, this time with her partner Ray, they noticed Keith sitting beside me, fast asleep. Ray helped me place the blanket over Keith as he stirred and I made doubly sure that I didn’t let go of his hand because the moment my fingers twitched, his fingers tightened. It seemed like he liked to hold my hand. Only in his sleep, though. I knew that he’d probably kill me if he knew he was holding onto me so tight while he was asleep.  

To be fair, I liked to hold his hand too. 

His fingers were surprisingly thin for someone that liked to stab anyone that looked at the Paladins wrong. Sure, Keith wasn’t all stab, stab, stab but he was a bit more aggressive than the rest of us. He did it out of love, I was sure, especially since he didn’t like to admit he had human feelings. That was apparent with how he continued to spend more and more time together with us. The small moments he tried to add mismatched jokes to our conversations and sometimes sharing banter with me during battles were a sure sign that he was growing. It was adorable watching him try to understand different jokes that we had learned on our travels or even give the occasional playful punch. 

He really was starting to grow more and more out of his shell.

Even though he knew that there was a fifty percent chance that he wasn’t going get the reference right, he tried to understand the thoughts and mindsets of everyone on the team. He knew that he wasn’t the strongest leader and if Shiro hadn’t disappeared, none of us would have thought of him as our leader. But the moments he tried to accommodate and thought things through were definitely changes that were praiseworthy. He was finally letting us break down all of the little walls that seemed too high to reach. I knew that he had other, much stronger ones but at least he was thinking about it. 

“Lance, you need to take this seriously,” Malone sighed, something that looked like a frown forming on her face. Malone warned me, though, that Sephyrs don’t frown. “You shouldn’t have been so focused on Keith and your jokes, you would have seen the Arisian coming.”

“It is good to be focused on your partner during battle,” Ray inserted, wrapping tails with Malone. I hadn’t realized until moments ago that they were in a relationship. “But Malone is right. You have to be a little more careful in the next battle.”

“We have to do this again!” I shouted, instantly regretting it as Keith’s head shifted in my direction. His nose was scrunched as he tensed up at my raised voice. Hair had fallen over his thick eyebrows and his lips were parted just a bit. “How long? When? Keith can’t take another battle like that so soon. I won’t let him.”

“There is no need to worry,” Ray reassured, pressing a red hand against my shoulder. “You will not battle for many sun settings.”

“They are called days, Ray, for like the fifth time today,” I grumbled, turning my shoulder and immediately regretting it as I saw the blank look on his face. “I need to write you all a book.”

Both Ray and Malone looked at each other for a moment, confusion covering their faces.

“Never mind,” I muttered, looking down at the sleeve my arm was in. “How many days? We need to get back to Voltron as soon as possible.”

“The nurse said about ninety sun settings before you should be able-“

“Ninety days!” I hissed, mentally smacking myself in the head. “Damn it!”

“What is this damn you keep speaking of? Is this the curse word, I heard about on my travels?” Malone asked, her head tilted to the side. Ray followed suit, seeing his partner doing the same. 

“That’s what you’re worried about,” I sighed, shaking my head. “Why can’t we just go home? If I’m injured and Keith is too hurt to fight, then we should be free to go, right?”

“That isn’t how Bellterr law works,” Ray replied, his smile dwindling just a bit. “The only way to leave Bellterr is to become a citizen and the only way to get citizeness is by becoming the main champion or the King’s blessing.”

“Then take me to the King, man,” I answered, sitting up a bit higher. I couldn’t reach for the nurse button but I was sure they could get them. “I need them to understand that we’re needed in the Universe and the longer we wait here, the longer our team is in danger.”

Ray and Malone shared a glance before Malone added a comment. “You have more partners that need taking care of by you and Keith?”

“Yeah, I guess you can call them my partners, but Keith is the leader and we just got Shiro back and Allura can’t really fly Blue so she needs my help every once in awhile,” I continued, almost babbling on about things that weren’t necessary. “Just, we need to go. Like yesterday!”

“We don’t have time travel in Bellterr but we will try to get you an audience with the Court,” Malone replied, bowing her head in Ray’s direction. “While I’m doing that, why don’t you, Keith and Ray head over to the apartment that has been set up for you.”

“We aren’t planning on staying long, Malone,” I responded, glancing down to Keith’s sleeping form. “Why was an apartment set up?”

“It’s for your comfort,” Ray replied, shooing Malone off. Once she was gone, he closed the door and pulled a chair up beside Keith and I. “Unfortunately, getting a meeting with the Court will take at least twenty sun sett- I mean, days. Malone can try her hardest but that doesn’t change the time. You can’t stay in the hospital.” Then pulling a bag off of his shoulders and laying it on my lap, he said. “I brought all of your things and placed them in this bag. The apartment is only a varga away. I’m sure you can rest through the travels as well.”

“I doubt Keith is going to want to share an apartment with me,” I chuckled, looking down at the slumbering Paladin.

“It is only safe for someone to have their partner with them,” Ray commented, looking dreamily at the door. “I cannot think of a happy moment without Malone by my side.”

“Don’t Sephyrs not feel sadness?”

“Oh, only Blue Sephyrs,” he answered. “Being a Red Sephyr has its drawbacks but we cover most Sephyr population. Blue Sephyrs are the rarest so Malone’s emotions are based on her own restrictions.”

“Wait, she controls her emotions-”

“Mh.” I looked down to see Keith lifting his head from the bed, his hand still in mine. As he rubbed his eye with his other hand and looked down at our intertwined one, his drowsy face actually looked kind of cute. 

Wait.

Keith Kogane can actually look cute?

I’m going to forget that thought ever entered my mind. 

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” I chuckled, rubbing my thumb over the top of his palm. Keith immediately turned red, his fingers still entangled in mine. “Have a good nap?”

“Mh, don’t worry about me,” he muttered, his voice hoarse and whispery. “How are you, Lance?” Shivers travelled up my spine as he whispered my name and I tried to ignore it but Keith noticed. “Are you cold? Here! Use my blanket!”

“N-No! You keep it on you,” I blurted, lifting my broken arm to wave, only to bring myself to tears. “Small people need warmth too, right?”

Shit.

That wasn’t what I meant to say and now that it was out in the air, I prayed Keith didn’t take it the wrong way.

But, of course, Keith seemed to take it as an insult as he untangled our fingers and threw the blanket at my face. “Sorry for being shorter than you by only a few inches, idiot.” Groaning, he turned to Ray and said. “Can you take me back to my room now? I’m starting to get tired.”

“You can sleep with me if you want,” I offered, immediately regretting that too. Two misses Sharpshooter. One more and Keith won’t speak to me ever again. “I-I mean. That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Do I?” He grunted, crossing his arms as Ray reached for the handles and pulled him towards the door. “And to think I was worried about you.”

“We will be back to continue our discussion later, Lance,” Ray smiled, pulling the door open. “It should all work out tonight, if the weather stays nice.”

“The weather?” Keith asked, reaching up to pat Ray’s shoulder.

Ray looked to me for an answer but I shook my head. “It’s supposed to rain diamonds tonight and it won’t be safe without metal coverings. Lance said he wanted to see them.”

“You know, I always wanted to see it rain but men instead,” I joked, only making Keith groan and re-cross his arms. 

Strike three.

“I don’t have time for your jokes, Lance,” Keith glared, his dark blue eyes burning holes in my forehead. “Especially the really bad ones.” I winced at his gaze before looking away. I understood that I had lost and there would be no way to get around it. Just when Mullethead was starting to show me a softer side of him. 

**Nice job, sharpshooter.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are liking this....I'm like super insecure about my writing so I worry every time I upload...and thank you to SimplyEssa who told me I typed the wrong thing, so thank God!!!!
> 
> This chapter is for them!


	8. Chapter 8: Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS FRIDAY IS SEASON 4  
> KILL ME!

My discharge was fairly simple. 

They came in, made me bio mark that I wouldn’t return unless there was another grave injury and gave Keith all of my information in a small communicator bracelet. Keith had one as well since he was a patient and it was given to me in the form of a bracelet. Someone thought it would be a good idea to give your partner your information but I wasn’t going to argue. This gave me something to look at while I was rehabilitating.  Malone reassured me that the bracelets were only for our protection and somehow had procured a blue strap for me and a red one for Keith. Keith didn’t seem to like the idea of a bracelet that had all of our ‘secret’ and the possibility to track us but Malone warned that if he took it off, she and Ray would have to be with us at all times. When Keith wasn’t convinced, she added that she would have to make sure we were taking regular meals and weren’t training our bodies too hard, the Samurai became very compliant. 

During the time we waited, Malone found a nice pair of pants and even a shirt that matched our tastes too. They were fairly basic, seeing as the pants didn’t even have a pocket and the shirts were a little long for us. Ray assured us that he’d find us some more clothes or he’d make some himself. Malone said he was really handy when it came to making things, even food. Since Malone always came home late, Ray learned how to do a lot.

While we waited for the recovery ship to take us to our apartment, Keith had practiced walking again. At first, he fell, a lot, but within an hour, he went from sitting in a chair to walking with a limp. He refused to use a cane, especially after I made fun of him for looking like an old man. He really should use one, though. Even though he tried not to show it, walking made his hips and shoulders hurt from the bruises and re-healed muscles. 

Of course, I couldn’t walk either and the pins in my arm made it nearly impossible to push the wheels of the wheelchair myself, so my nurse, who I later found out was named Zamak, found an automated chair that would fit someone ‘small’ like me. It had blue wheels, silver handles and a little knob that I would later decorate. The machine looked too simple and uncool for me but would have to do for now. Once I was fitted in it, we went to the roof and hopped onto a pod that was retrofitted for hospital guests to leave on. The white pod was automated and Keith helped strap my wheelchair to the back.

“Don’t strap it too-oof!”

“I want to make sure you’re safe,” Keith smirked, as he loosened the strap a bit to let me breath. “I wouldn’t want you flying out of the chair once we took off.” Sticking my tongue at him, I watched as he sat beside me and clicked himself in. He made sure to leave just a little space so he could avoid hitting his back against the walls of the pod. Ray and Malone strapped in alongside each other just across from us and once they were done, the Pod revved to a start.

“This Hospital Pod will be leaving in ten ticks,” a voice sounded from over our heads.  “Please remain seated as the Pod takes off.”

Without another warning, the Pod shook and a warm hand clenched mine as the Pod pulled up to a rough and shaky start. Somewhere between the lift off and moving, Keith’s back had hit the metal back of his seat. His eyes were clenched in discomfort and tears had formed around his long, black lashes. His hand was clenching mine so tight that I could practically see the bones in his fingers. I didn’t say anything as the pod set forth, the speed of it bringing back good memories of flying Blue. To Be honest, it was beautiful to feel the thrust of the engine and smell the burning of fuel. 

“Makes you kind of miss the Lions doesn’t it?” I whispered, only loud enough for Keith to hear. 

“Sure,” he muttered, still upset with me. I turned to him as best I could, staring him in the face. He didn’t turn his head towards me but I knew that he could see me from the corner of his eye.

“You can’t be mad at me forever,” I smiled, tilted forward so he could see me better. A tiny smile grew on his face as he turned to me, his hand slipping from over mine. “I’m already physically broken, you can’t break my heart too.

“I’m not exactly mad,” he responded, not taking the joke for what it was. Leaning forward to stretch a bit, he gave me a glance of his lower back as his shirt rode up. The curve of his spine made me stare at the pale skin, some bits of it covered in purpling bruises, others old scars. They looked painful but I was sure I’d get punched if I asked. “I’m just frustrated.”

“About what?” 

That earned me a raised eyebrow. 

“You know what I mean,” I retorted, raising my hand up as if I was holding  a coin. “Penny for your thoughts.”

Keith sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned his head and leaned back towards the wall. Pressing his head against the walls of the pod, he said. “I don’t like situations that I don’t have control over.”

“No surprise but continue.”

“Lance-”

“I’m sorry, I won’t interrupt anymore,” I smirked, glancing over to Malone and Ray. They were blissfully unaware of our conversation, too busy flirting with one another. “You have the floor.”

“Good,” he grumbled, sitting up as best as he could. Running a hand through his fringe, he continued. “Like, it wasn’t really your fault that we got into this mess-”

“So you admi-”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t interrupt anymore?” Keith snapped, giving me a strong glare. I lowered my head sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “No. It’s not your fault. Only. I should have been paying more attention and we should have notified Shiro once we left the store. If I hadn’t let you run around instead of completing our mission, we could be safely back at the castle rather than nursing injuries without healing pods.”

“You can’t take the blame all for yourself,” I added, leaning over a bit. Keith looked at me, his eyes unreadable.

“Aren’t you always blaming me for everything?”

“Well, yeah, that’s what a leader is for,” I retorted, kicking my good leg out. “But we aren’t leader and teammate right now. We’re Keef and Lanz.”

“Oh, don’t remind me,” he groaned, a chuckle in the back of his throat. I laughed at his groan as the PA system went off again.

“This Pod will be landing in Hilltak in ten ticks, please brace for landing.”

“We can finish this conversation later, I guess,” Keith muttered, leaning back as the Pod shuffled to a descent. Once the pod jolted to a land and the buckles automatically released, Ray and Malone released each other to stand in front of us.

“Welcome to Hilltak,” Malone smiled, holding onto Ray’s hand. “This area is where most Bellterran citizens live so you are around happy company.”

“If that’s true, why are we here? I mean, we aren’t citizens yet,” Keith asked, standing to limp to the back of my wheelchair. 

“Because of your great performance and the accidental change of champions-” Ray began, instantly getting a glare from Malone.

“Wait, what?” 

Ray and Malone shared a weird glance before Ray turned to us.

“You were not supposed to fight the Arisians,” he began, removing his hand from Malones. “There was a technical error in the lottery that chooses a fair opponent for you. The error wasn’t noticeable until during the battle when Mal went to go check on it. Once she did, she realized what happened and nothing could be broken-I mean, fixed. You had already fought and were headed to the hospital.”

I watched as Keith’s cheeks reddened and his fists clenched just beside my face. “You mean to tell me a glitch nearly got us killed!”

“It was sabotage actually,” Malone blurted, quickly covering her mouth. “I mean, someone had changed the settings and um.”

“Are you serious?” I muttered, leaning back with a huff. Peering up to Keith’s face, I could see him clenching his jaw. He was going to explode in any second but I couldn’t blame him. We just got on this godforsaken planet and we were already getting targeted. Did it have anything to do with someone recognizing who we were? Sure, we saved a lot of people but there were Galra on this planet and if they were loyal, they’d want our heads on a platter. 

“We don’t really know how or why but we will continue to investigate and for the being of time, we will keep you in the safest house,” Ray responded, placing a hand on Malone’s shoulder. 

“Great, just freaking fantastic,” Keith grumbled, throwing his hands up in the air. “We haven’t even been on this damn planet for more than a week and someone’s out to get us!”

“We don’t know that-”

“Don’t tell us what we don’t know,” he snapped, his knuckles turning white as he held the back of my chair to ground himself. I was tempted to reach a hand up to hold his but if I did, I feared that he would snap at me too. “Someone  **is** after us and wanted us to be killed in the battle. We didn’t, so now we have to find who it is and eliminate them.”

“Keith,” I muttered, a little softer than I wanted but it caught his attention. Dark blue eyes peered down at me before turning softer. “Can you just relax for a little first? You aren’t thinking straight.”

“But we need to find who is out to get us!” He shouted, looking down at me with confusion in his eyes. “We can’t let you get hurt like that again!”

“Not now,” I replied, trying to smile without grimacing. Just the reminder about my pain made it hurt a bit more to breath.“It’s been a long week and I don’t feel that up to the tension right now. We’ve been living with our heads on a swivel since the moment we got here. Can’t we just relax for a moment?”

I watched as Keith’s eyes shut for just a moment, a rebellious sigh huffing out before he looked down at me again. “I’m not happy with this.”

“I wouldn’t dream you’d be,” I nodded, reaching for the bag near my wheelchair. Pulling Keith’s Bayard out, I handed it to him, then I took out mine. Placing it in my lap atop the bag, I looked back at him. “See, safe.”

“You better keep that Bayard with you every second,” he grunted, clenching his in his hand.

“Why would I need a Bayard when I have you there to protect me, Oh Fearless Leader and Black Paladin, Keith Kogane?” I joked, turning to face forward. I didn’t mean for the words to come out that softly and I didn’t want Keith to see my cheeks burn red as I turned away from him. If I seriously let the guy notice I had flubbed like that, he’d definitely not let me get over it. “I got it, okay? Quit acting like Shiro.”

“I-I-ah, wha-” he stammered, his voice squeaking a bit at the end. “I’m not being like Shiro!”

Good, he fell for it. 

As long as he didn’t notice what I had said. 

When could I sound so soft saying his name?

Geez, what was wrong with me! Ever since we got on this stupid planet, I’ve been letting my emotions take the lead over my mind. I was known for mouthing nonsense but now I was mouthing all sorts of emotional garbage that I was sure no one on this stupid planet wanted to hear. Especially Keith. He couldn’t possibly understand how I felt about him.

**How did I feel about Keith?**

“Anyway,” Malone coughed, her face a bit red and her hands pressed on the door panel of the pod. “It’s time to go to your apartment. Ready?”

Keith and I shared a look, giving me just enough time to see the red fading away from his neck. I shook my head before I nodding a yes.

“Let’s get this over with,” Keith sighed, placing his Bayard on my lap and pushing my wheelchair forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you guys know, I'll be uploading every four to six days since I have another story that is every three to five days....  
> Plus I have to upload so bear with me please!


	9. Chapter 9: Ketih

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's alittle bit of a feel train for you.

The suburbs of Hilltak were right out of a cheesy sitcom.

Everywhere we looked, identical houses lined the streets with awkwardly blue colored roofs and metallic doors. Each home had it’s own port at the front to park transportation and the streets sparkled with white space dust. Half of the neighborhood was standing outside, speaking amongst one another while pointing, hands, tentacles and floating eyes in our direction. Smaller versions of these aliens huddled around their parents or played with metal toys as they ignored all of the fuss. Malone was eager to get us out of the growing crowds and into our apartment, which apparently was the wrong translation.

They meant to say house. 

As we walked up, Lance rolled, to one of the identical homes, except this one had a ramp that was perfect for Lance to be pulled into the house. The streets didn’t have a single rock or patch of grass like the suburbs back home did but exotic plants were filling up the empty spaces between homes. Lance seemed to find them interesting as I pulled him up the ramp.

“Nice plants,” he chuckled, pointing to a pink tree. Then looking to the door, he said. “Um, Mal. There isn’t a doorknob.”

“It’s a biomark system,” she started, raising her hand to touch the knobless door. “You place any part of your body against it and it’ll open. See?” Demonstrating, she placed her hand against the door and waited for it to open. With a ding, the door slid open. Walking through the open door, we followed Malone into the living room of the house. Once we were all in, she waved her hand through the empty space and the door shut. “It closes once it recognizes you’re in the house, so you really don’t have to wave but I like the glamour of it.”

The living room was oddly, normal. There was a comfortable, leather-like couch set that was placed on dark wood floors. One wall hosted a projector and a basic piece of artwork while the center of the room was dominated by a wood coffee table.. Just to the right of the living room was a small kitchenette with a stove, microwave and counters. The fridge in the kitchen was taller than me and looked just like every other fridge back home. Actually, everything looked a lot like how a home on Earth would look like except that it was all ridiculously expensive. Most of the house was decked out in rare woods or real stone that would only be found in a magazine. 

“Everything looks...normal,” Lance muttered, peering up at me for a moment. “Kinda creepily normal.”

“We tried to make it feel like home as best as we could,” Ray commented, reaching for Malone’s hands. “We understand if you were feeling a little homeill so we decided this decorating would be okay.”

“Do you like it?” Malone asked, a tinge of nerves in her usually happy voice.

“Oh, yeah, I guess,” I replied, loosening the grip on Lance’s wheelchair handles. “It’s just a little over the top.” 

Lance pointed to a set of doors on our right that were closed. 

“What are those?”

“Oh, that’s the bedroom and cleansing room,” Ray answered, walking over to the door. These had normal doorknobs and as he turned it, he revealed an ordinary bathroom, tub, sink and all. “Or do you call this something else?”

“Bathroom, that’s the bathroom,” Lance remarked, leaning back in his seat.

“The sleeping room, is connected as well,” Malone jumped, her anxiety showing a bit. She shooed us to the other door, where she flung the door open to reveal a single bedroom. Inside was a single bed, roughly the size of a King sized mattress, was pushed against the farthest wall. A wide window was just across from us, covered in beautiful black curtains. The hard wood floors had comfortable-looking rugs in shades of blue and red on either side of the bed. A majority of the furniture was dark colored and consisted of dressers, nightstands, wall shelving and, in the closet, several containers for clothes. “We made sure the bed was big enough for the both of you.”

“B-Both of us?” Lance sputtered, looking over his shoulder to the door behind us. I looked along with him but I didn’t see another door. “There isn’t another bed!”

“Why would partner's need more than one bed?” Ray asked, more in Malone’s direction than Lance’s.

“That is a good question,” Malone replied, looking at us for answers. “Why is that?”

“Just cause we’re partners doesn’t mean that we share a bed,” I responded, rubbing the flush out of my neck. 

“Then why when you awoke from your sleep, you immediately called for Lance?” Ray asked, making my face turn red. Malone nodded her head before adding her two cents.

“Lance did the same thing,” Malone replied, arms crossing her arms over her chest. My eyes instantly fell to Lance’s head but the angle didn’t allow me the chance to see his face. “He was also moaning your name while he was sleeping.”

That made me turn Lance’s chair around to see his face. His eyes darted away from mine as he gasped and covered his face with his hands. I ignored that as I pulled his hands apart to look at his face. “Get your face out of my airspace, Mullet!”

“Why were you moaning my name?” I asked, laying my hands on the bars that closed the Paladin in his chair. As best as I could, I ignored the pain and confronted him further. “Do you moan my name all the time?”

“Hell no!” He shouted, pushing my hands off of the bars. “I was probably worried about you.”

“Why would you be worried when you knew I was okay?”

“How was I supposed to know you were okay? Cause I sure as hell didn’t,” he answered, his face firm and disgruntled. “Why were you looking for me, huh?”

“I didn’t know if you were okay,” I retorted, standing up to full height. “I thought we were dead. Waking up, I needed to know you were alright.”

“Why would you care about me being alright?” He huffed, the sound a bit mocking. “I’m not Shiro, so you shouldn’t care.”

I stared at him with my mouth wide open, the anger in his voice was odd as he said Shiro’s name. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing,” he grumbled, completely uncharacteristic of the happy-go-lucky idiot. 

“I think we should leave you both to your objects,” Ray muttered, reaching for Malone’s hand. “Maybe it will be better than us being the monkey in the bathroom.”

“The saying is ‘leave you to your own devices’ and ‘the elephant in the room’, Ray,” Malone chastised entangling their tails before the pair waved goodbye. Lance stayed in his chair and I continued to hold onto the handles as the door shut with a metallic click. 

I assumed Lance, being the talkative one, would speak first but he only reached for the knob on his chair and proceeded to push forward. As he reached the side of the bed, he stopped the chair and tried to lift himself up on one leg, only to stumbled back into the chair because it wasn’t locked. The move made him jar his shoulder and I watched him hiss and curse, probably in Spanish, as he tried again.

“Are you going to let me help you or are you going to be a hard-headed idiot?” I asked, crossing my arms. He didn’t answer me as he tried for the fourth time and almost succeeded before he fell back again. 

“Coñyo!” 

“I’m assuming that didn’t mean, ‘Keith can you help me’,” I muttered, only irritating the man more.

“Can you stop being an asshole for one second and help me get into the damn bed!” He shouted, flailing his injured arm and hissing as it shuddered from pain. 

“Of course,” I smirked, walking over to lift him from under his arms. He was surprisingly light for someone two inches taller than me. I had assumed with his broader shoulders and his long limbs, I thought there would be heavy muscle attached but no. He definitely weighed less than I did. I must have said something because he immediately responded as I lifted him.

“I’m not light, I have naturally thinner muscles,” he grumbled, allowing me to gently slide him onto the bed. Once he was there, he slid his body back as far as he could with one arm and one good leg. I indulged him a bit by placing a few feather soft pillows behind his back. He sighed as he leaned back and finally relaxed a bit. Glancing everywhere but at me, he said. “Look, I’m, um, sorry.”

“For what?”

“Being rude while Ray and Malone were here,” he whispered, his cheeks turning a bit red. It looked nice on his tanned skin, like a kiss from a rose. 

Did I really just think that?

“I kind of overreacted when they said the whole partner's thing,” he sighed, lifting his good arm in my direction. Offering his hand out to me, he said. “No more miscommunication and no more useless fights while we’re on this godforsaken planet. Truce?”

I nodded, shaking his hand and feeling that warm sensation again burning up my arm. I released his hand just as fast as I held onto it before turning to find something to do. “I-uh, I’m going to go explore the house a little more.”

“Oh, send me pics,” he joked, resting his head back against the pillows. “I’ll be here. Thinking about how bored I’ll be.” 

Chuckling, I walked past the door and shut it behind me. The home was definitely…..homey in a sterile sort of way. Wait, that didn’t sound right. It was different. 

I hadn’t really been in a real home for so long and even in the place I called home was rather empty. This place reminded me of back home. The walls didn’t have any pictures of families or horrible artwork from siblings and little people, just blank, white paint. The counters were impeccable, something I was used to having lived alone. The couches were unused and the floors had no scuffs from personal wear. My first thought was that since the interior was new but it made the place seem so unnatural. Even back at the castle, there were marks from Pidge’s unsuccessful projects and stains from Hunk’s amazing ‘Space Snacks to Go’. Nowhere in the Castle was safe from Lance’s multiple face creams and Allura’s mice. Shiro even had a few stains around. That’s what made the Castle more like home than anything else, seeing the marks left by our shenanigans. 

This place was just depressing. 

Walking into the kitchen, I pulled the refrigerator open to find it stocked, surprisingly with Human food. Well, human vegetables and fruit at least. I doubt I’d be able to figure out how they did it but somehow, someway, Bellterr had grown all of the vegetables. I could see by the untrimmed tops and the fresh dirt on the fruit that they didn’t know what to do once the fruit was done growing. Closing the fridge, I looked through the pantry and found oddly shaped pots and bowls before checking the other drawers. Somehow, the Sephyr couple had thought that drawers were meant for bottled drinks and meat. Fixing their mistake, I stretched before heading back to the room. 

Yeah, I wasn’t one hundred percent okay with sleeping in the same bed as Lance but I knew that this would be temporary. Knowing Shiro, he had probably placed a tracker in our Bayards or shoes a long time ago. I know I did after Shiro returned from wherever he was before. They were on their way and when they came, they’d heal Lance and he’d be back to his stupid, flirty, blue eyed self. I couldn’t wait for the pain in my back to subside and, even though I was sure I could sleep on it I wasn’t exactly excited. 

Pushing the door open as softly as I could, I found the room had turned dark. Days in Bellterr were a lot like back home. The suns came up and they went down but, unfortunately, the daytime was fairly short. Flicking a light switch beside the door, I let a bit of light flood the room from the lamps on the nightstands. Lance was completely knocked out, his lips parted and a hint of sparkling drool falling from the corner of his mouth. He had Ray shave his face once he found out he was leaving the hospital so his skin was back to it’s perfectly blemish and hair-free state. His eyebrows were relaxed and the curls near the base of his neck were tucked underneath his ears as his head lolled towards the door. Taking a step forward, I watched as his injured shoulder was curled in the wrong way and looked way too uncomfortable for me not to fix. I reached over and began to tug on his arm, turning it back to a better angle. Just as I was about to let go, Lance’s hand shot out and held onto my hand in a vice-like grip. I jumped, looking down at his face only to find him muttering something unintelligible. 

“Really, Lance?” I whispered, tugging my arm but the pilot didn’t let go. “When did you get so strong?”

“Mgh, ne Keith,” he moaned in response, the sound sending shivers up my spine and making my stomach tight. “My Keith.”

**Not now weird body feelings.**

Malone was right. He was calling me in his sleep. I could only wonder what the Blue Paladin had on his mind that made me part of the equation. Usually, we would only talk during missions, meeting about missions and after missions. So, pretty much everything dealing with missions. It was a rare occurrence for Lance and I to talk about anything other than a mission, minus the off chance Lance made a snide comment to get Shiro’s attention. It was no surprise that Lance thought Shiro was a God among men. Everytime he spoke, Lance would take longer than normal stares at Shiro’s shoulders or when the former Black Paladin would reach out to touch his shoulder, the teen would blush. 

Honestly, I couldn’t blame him. Shiro was fairly attractive and had that hero from Disney movie air about him that made you want to stick by him forever but that didn’t change the fact that it made me upset. Not exactly upset, no, more like frustrated? 

“Stupid idiot,” I huffed, kneeling down on the bed to get a little more comfortable. It was nice holding his hand. Those fingers that would squeeze a trigger and save lives were oddly soft and thicker than I had imagined. His nails were, of course, polished and manicured, cuticles flat and nails sparkling. Tiny blond hairs were just above his bony knuckles and one single imperfection was just where his thumb and pointer met. It was the tiniest of gashes Lance had ever received, probably years old and it looked pretty painful but as I looked at it longer, I wondered what story was behind it.

There was so much we didn’t know about each other. Knowing Lance, he probably had millions of stories about himself that he had told Hunk and Pidge, maybe even Shiro, but he had never told me. To be honest, I wanted to know all about him. Hunk was pretty straight forward when it came to personality. He cared about his friends, engineering and food. The big lug didn’t need anything extra. Pidge didn’t let many people see past her intelligent banter and crazy antics. I already knew everything I needed to know about Shiro and Allura was fairly straightforward even though she didn’t mean to. 

Lance was different.

He acted like he was flirtatious and didn’t let anything bother him but I knew that was all just a facade. I remembered the nights I came back from the training grounds and could hear through the walls Lance’s crying. In the morning, when I would walk past his door, he’d come out, make a joke and head for the kitchen. His eyes would be red and puffy but no one would talk to him about it because if they did, he’d just say he used the wrong eye cream but I knew. It was nearly every other night recently that he would cry or come out of his room yawning. I should have talked to him about it. 

I should have been a better leader.

Looking down at the hands of my second-in-command, I felt something strong pull at my heart. It was warm and made my skin tingle like it was slowly burning but as I looked at the sleeping face of one of my closest friends, I could tell. 

**Something was growing and whatever it was, it was going to be something I had never experienced before.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like Pinning Keith and Lance cause the love train and angst train are parking in your stations bitches!!


	10. Chapter 10: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So weird to think I'm already 10 chapters into this :p

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY LITTLE BABY DIDN'T DESERVE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO HIM IN SEASON 4!!!!!  
> Writers are about to get my fist far up their asses....actually no, I love them too much. They gave me Matt Holt the Meme King and Keith in a Blade of Marmora outfit that makes him looks so sexy (Insert Star Eyes) BUT they be making me Lancito sad seeing his bud leave. My little baby didn't say anything to stop him but didn't want him to leave either.....
> 
> TOOO MANY FUCKING EMOTIONS FOR SIX EPISODES!

It started with the shaking. 

That’s what woke me up. 

I must have fallen asleep because my knees hurt and I could feel the freezing cold fingers clenched in my own hands. 

Lance’s freezing cold fingers. 

Just that thought woke me up enough to look up at Lance’s face. Somehow, in the time I had taken a nap, Lance’s condition had taken a nosedive. His usually bright and tan skin was pale and covered in cold sweat. His eyes were clenched in discomfort and brown hair had stuck to his forehead. The grip he had on my hand had slackened immensely as the time past. Clenching his fingers again to increase blood flow, I looked for the sign of the problem.

Just where the wrap was tied against his arm was a darkening stain of blood. 

“How-Lance? Lance! Come on, idiot, wake up,” I shuffled, reaching up to shake his shoulder. The Paladin just muttered, trying his best to open his eyes but he was just too weak. “Come on, Lance. Please. Please!”

When his eyes didn’t open and the grip on my hand slackened, I looked around for something to help him. 

I had to get him cooler or at least better.

What were you supposed to do when someone was bleeding?

I didn’t deal with people that were close to death, not even in Garrison training. Just having him bleed here was new all in itself. If I didn’t do something soon, Lance could bleed out from his injuries. 

“Shit!” I shouted, slamming a fist into mattress. 

_ Ding! _

How was I going to save Lance now-

**_Ding!_ **

My eyes followed a stream of light that had filled the room, the light emitting from my own body. Wrapped around my wrist was the band that the hospital had given me. Pressing a finger down the top, an anatomical image of Lance’s body appeared, a red circle around where Lance was holding in pain. Scrolling as fast as I could, I found the problem. A cut had appeared somewhere under his bandage where his arm had gone the wrong way and had, somehow, opened. 

“God, you’re an idiot, Lance McLain,” I huffed, looking for a way to fix this. “Now, how do I fix you?”

The band responded with a click as it gave me instructions on what to do. Clean the wound, lower the temperature of the Human and re-bandage the wound with fresh bandages. 

That seemed fairly simple. 

Right.

Maybe if I put him in the tub, I could get him cooler faster. Touching his forehead, I felt his skin burning to the touch. I had to get him there fast before the burning made his cold sweats worst. 

Pulling my hand from Lance’s face, I placed my arms underneath his knees and back, holding him as close to me as possible. I ignored the lack of weight on him as I toed the door open and backed into the bathroom door, doing my best to not hit Lance anywhere. Leaning him against the wall, I turned the faucet on and watched the clear water fill up the bath. Careful with the temperature, I waited until it was nearly filled before  turning it off. Glancing back at Lance, I realized that I would have to undress him to make sure he was completely cold. 

Every synapse in my brain was firing at the thought of Lance naked and within reach. Wait, not like that, right? I had already seen him naked in the past week but naked and unconscious was a whole other spectrum. His body in itself was well-built thanks to the months of training on the castle deck and years of Garrison workouts. Moving to stand beside Lance, I tried to explain what I was going to do, more to comfort myself then him.

“I-I don’t know if you can hear me, Lance, but I have to give you a cold b-bath and clean the wound,” I started, pushing back sticky fringe to see the veins above his eyes show more than usual. The longer I waited, the paler he got. “I promise I won’t do anything you don’t want or need but I have to get you in there. You could get an infection or something could go terribly wrong if I don’t.”

A weak grunt confirmed that he heard me and as Lance tried to reach up to his collar, I lightly placed his hand back down. “I’ll take care of everything, okay? It’s my turn to take care of you.”

I knew I sounded confident but I was scared as hell. 

What if I did something wrong and Lance hated me forever?

Or worse, he died because I didn’t do something right!

This wasn’t my type of expertize. I knew where to cut and what to shoot at but I skipped all of my health classes at the Garrison and every time Coran talked about not wanting to use the healing pods too often, I basically ignored him like everyone else. Iverson let me skip health classes as long as I didn’t disrupt my next class but it was a sure thing that I would. Though I was a perfect student, I tended to skip and show up just to the tests. 

I looked down at Lance’s body, slowly peeling the shirt up his abdomen and over his healthy arm. It was hard for me to not stare at his taut abdominal muscles glowing with sweat. They weren’t exactly like mine but they had their own strength about them. Careful not to hit his shoulder, I pulled it over his head and slid it down his bad arm before throwing it in the corner of the room. I did the same with his pants, trying my best to ignore the swell in his boxers. I left those on because I was too much of a wuss to get that intimate. Since he was nearly completely naked, I could see the bruises better. There were long ones around his thighs and over the lower half of his stomach was a diagonal bruise that was painful to look at.

He really did look like he took a beating from a Gorilla or truck. It was really hard to understand how he had survived so well or how he was planning on staying a Paladin with all of these injuries. Humans couldn’t heal perfectly every time. It would take him for him to get back to optimal shape and even then we would have to return to the battlefield to face another. 

Almost all of his upper body was bandaged with reusable bandage and his leg was covered in some type of thermal tape. As I peeled the ones on his leg off, I made sure to slowly pull the bandage from his upper arm and elbow. When I finally reached the one on his shoulder that was causing all of the problems, I found that it easily slipped off thanks to the blood. Lance had torn several stitches somehow and now they were hanging, ripped and shredded on his skin. I used the old bandage to wipe up as much as I could before clipping or pulling the ends. Lifting Lance up as slowly as I could, I placed him in the tub, his back pressed against the farthest side from the faucet. I plugged the end and shut off the water to keep the tub cool. 

The second his body touched the water, Lance’s shivers stopped. His breathing was still pretty shaky but that didn’t worry me as much as the wound on his arm. It was at least three inches long and just at the base of his elbow. Blood had finally slowed it’s dripping but it was still open and could possibly tear more. Searching the cabinets and drawers in the bathroom, I was lucky to find something that was like a first aid kit. It was filled with wrapping bandages as well as antiseptic. Needle and thread were also in the kit and beside the container were about fifteen full sized blankets. Ripping the first aid kit open, I covered the gauze with antiseptic and began to wipe the clotted blood up. I tried my best to ignore Lance’s hisses of pain but as I got closer to the middle of the wound, his shouts were loud enough to scare me.

“I know, I’m sorry, Lance, I’m sorry,” was the only thing I could think of saying. The sound of his hoarse whimpers would haunt me for a while but I couldn’t stop. If I didn’t hurry up and clean it properly, there was a chance he could get an infection and his arm would get chopped off. Lance without an arm to shoot with was like a fish living out of water. It was unnatural and just wrong. 

I had to make sure he healed the right way or I wasn’t doing my job as his teammate.

Most of the wound was blood free after a few moments and as clean as it would get with me there. I pulled the extra threads that were left before balling them up in the red cloth. Throwing the stained towel in a nearby bin, I reached for the needle and thread that were placed near my lap. My fingertips were already stained red with Lance’s blood and I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat in my ears. 

This part was going to hurt and I couldn’t give him any medication.

“Keith,” Lance whispered, his eyes barely open and the white’s an abnormally red shade. “Help me. Please.”

All fears broke at the sound of his voice cracking. 

I gently turned his body to give me better access to the wound. He was disgruntled and a bit uncomfortable but I wanted to make sure I closed the wound properly. Pushing the thread through the eyehole of the curved needle, I tied the end and stared at the newly clotted blood. 

“This is going to hurt, Lance,” I whispered, looking at his face for a response. When he nodded his head, I repeated it. “It’s going to hurt but I’ll try to do it quickly.”

“Do it,” he muttered, taking a stronger breath. “Hurry up and do it.”

I chuckled at his exasperation, already too tired and upset to really put a lot of effort in the sound. “Remember what your favorite Black Paladin says all the time. ‘Patience yields focus.’”

Taking a deep breath, I pressed the needle into his unblemished skin, pushing as hard as I could without being too harsh. Lance hissed in pain but I continued, sweat dripping down the side of my face and my hands trembling just a bit. Threading a needle through skin was a lot tougher than through cloth but that wasn’t what was making me sweat.

The painful set of Lance’s face was heartbreaking.

His eyes were scrunched so tight that the lashes were nearly indistinguishable. The mouth that was used to spurt jokes and ease a crowd were tight-lipped as I forced the needle through, over and over again. Brown hair that was always brushed straight was curled due to the sweat dripping down his forehead and neck. Tanned skin were flushed red as his legs tussled in the stained water. Clear, as it usually was, the water was tinged an unsightly red and as I finished the last bit of the stitch and tied the end, I felt a cold finger tap my shoulder. I looked down to my fellow Paladin and saw his skin just a tinge lighter than it was moments ago. Opening his eyes a bit wider, Lance whispered. “He isn’t my favorite Black Paladin.”

“Wha-” but as the words left my mouth, Lance fainted, his head lolling against his shoulder and my hand reaching out to protect him from hitting the wall. A small smile grew on my face as I laid his head back, wrapped his arm in gauze and drained the tub. My mind couldn’t process much as I turned the water on and began to wipe down Lance’s body, carefully ignoring the parts that had gained my interest lately. 

Did he mean what he said?

As far as we knew, there were only three Black Paladins.

Shiro, Zarkon and I.

I knew for certain, it wasn’t Zarkon and he just said it wasn’t Shiro.

Was I really Lance’s favorite Black Paladin?

Looking down at his sleeping form, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. For some reason, that single bit of information made me want to run around the room with a quoted sign. Of course, I didn’t. That wouldn’t the smartest route to take. Especially with a guy I had just become close friends with and probably thought I was just his teammate.

Did I want to be more than friends?

Maybe, Best Friend was already taken by Hunk and there wasn’t any room for me in his heart. 

“Don’t get too excited, Keith,” I whispered to myself, just to solidify the point. 

There was nothing more that could happen between Lance and I.

We were teammates, brothers in arms.

Leader and Second-In-Command.

Whatever else was just a weird reaction to having someone so close. 

Steering my mind clear of Lance, I glanced down to his body lying in the tub, tanned skin soaked in glistening water and blood finally flowing through his body. Relief took over as I leaned against the wall and finally took my first full breath of the night. 

I had managed to save him and this one idiotic, Paladin of Voltron had his almost too perfect hands miles deep in the depths of my mind and heart.

And, surprisingly, I didn’t mind him being there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations guys!!! We Made It to TEN!  
> Now, don't get too excited, the story has just begun so get ready for the long run!


	11. Chapter 11: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long

**Lance didn’t fully wake up for the next two days.**

I was fairly worried the first fifteen or so hours but as the sweats started to slow down and I got him to swallow some water with pain medicine, I knew he was finally going to be okay. Occasionally, he would make noises like he was trying to speak but when I looked in his direction, his eyes were sealed shut and his mouth was slightly open, drool dripping down the side. I wouldn’t tell him that I had heard him calling my name at least forty times in the past two days but it made me oddly satisfied to know that he said my name so much. I definitely wouldn’t tell him that I revelled in the sound of him calling my name in the silence of the house either. That would just make him say some corny joke or flirtatious pick up line I wouldn’t really understand. 

The Sephyrs refused to come by while Lance was incapacitated. Malone was more worried about my behavior since Lance was hurt and Ray didn’t want to get between Lance and I to check on his status. To be honest, they were right about how I would react. I didn’t want anyone or anything waking Lance up before he needed to wake up and I didn’t need anyone other than me checking on him.

The first morning we stayed in the house, someone tried landing their pod just beside our house. The sound rattled the walls of the house and made Lance move around in discomfort. When I ran outside to confront the two foot aliens, Mal and Ray just so happened to be walking around. They stopped me before I stepped on their faces and made them regret the day they were born. Malone was a great negotiator and asked our other neighbors to try and keep the noise to a minimum until Lance was healthy. Thankfully, the neighbors tried their best, with a little glaring from me, and I tried my best to not get frustrated with anyone else. As long as those idiots next door acted like they weren’t stupid, I would leave them alone. 

I had focused my frustration by cleaning Lance’s wounds rather than cleaning his entire body. I made sure to leave the moisturizers and shaving to him when he woke up but washing was completely out of the question. The night I had bathed him after he passed out, I had seen parts of his body that I’d never seen before. We had shared shower halls before but it was different when he was drained from exhaustion, hair curling around his eyebrows and ears like he was a mystical creature. Those shoulders I had found myself staring at before were no longer strong but shaking and the smooth lips that joked about my hair or flirted with anyone were chapped and nearly split. 

This was a Lance I never hoped to see again. 

Thankfully, he woke up late in the third day, his mind on his stomach and what stiff muscles he possessed. 

“Jeez, I feel like I got hit by not one, but two trucks now,” he groaned, lifting a hand to rub at his eyes. Glancing in my direction, he cleared the eye boogers from the inside of his eye before speaking again. “Why does this keep happening to me? What god did I upset?”

“Maybe if you didn’t move your arm so much, we wouldn’t have to worry about that,” I grumbled, a little meaner than I had meant. Taking a breath, I spoke in a softer voice.“You popped a ton of stitches and I had to sow it back up.”

“I did? Wait, you did?” He asked, leaning his head back on the pillows. “No way! I can’t even remember what happened after I fell asleep.” Sniffing at his shoulder, he said. “Holy Macaroni! I need to take a bath.”

“Yeah, you do kind of smell,” I joked, earning a chuckle and an immature tongue stuck in my direction. “You haven’t showered in nearly three days.”

“Three days!” Reaching up to touch his cheek and lips, his eyes filled with tears. “Oh no! My face isn’t it’s usual baby softness and my lip’s split! They haven’t been this dry since...since ever!”

“I can’t believe you’re freaking out about moisturizing,” I responded, sitting down on the bed. My eyes found their way to his lips and noticed that they weren’t as chapped as he was complaining about. If anything, there was a tiny patch just near the corner of his lip while his skin had returned to it’s bright brown color.  “You don’t smell that bad and your skin is still as soft as it was before.”

“Oh, Keith,” he hummed, his voice taking it’s most flirtatious tone. “Did you feel me up while I was asleep? That’s so kinky.”

I could feel my face burn as he chuckled, the sound reverberating against the quiet walls of the empty house. Taking a deep breath, I let a chuckle of my own escape, looking down at the shocked face of my new roommate. “Of course, you would make a sexual spin on it.”

“That’s not the only thing I can spin,” he added, kicking his leg over the side of the bed. “Now, help me get naked and scrape this dirt off of my precious skin.”

“Now that, definitely sounds sexual,” I mumbled, helping the Paladin to his chair and rolling him into the bathroom. 

  
  


After a difficult first bath and the near death experience caused by overuse of bubble bath liquid, Lance and I were both showered and as clean as we could be. Lance’s stomach growled while he brushed his teeth so we decided it was time to sit down and eat. 

“So,” he said, nibbling on a strawberry. I had forgotten how amazing human food tasted after months of Alien Food Goo. I couldn’t stop myself as I stuffed pieces of watermelon and apple down my throat. I was sure I had tons of juice all over my face but I could care less. 

“So.”

“Did you get to sleep while I was hurt?” He asked, popping some grapes in his mouth before sipping on some water.

“Your average eight, I guess,” I replied, a bit slower than usual. 

“Nothing was causing you, I don’t know, trouble, maybe,” he hissed, his voice sharp as he stared me down. 

Shaking my head slowly, I placed my hand over another apple slice before plopping that into my mouth too. 

Sighing, Lance threw his arms up in the air and pressed his hands to his eyes. I stared at him as he took a deep breath and said. “You are so bad at this?”

“What do you mean by that? Aren’t you the one that says I’m too jumpy around people?”

“You know that’s not what I was talking about,” he grumbled, turning his chair just enough to look at me directly. I squirmed on the couch as those dark blue eyes bore holes into my head. “Oh, do you really not know?”

“I just said that,” I replied, moving to turn in his direction a bit more. “I thought we were good.”

“Are you serious? Wow, you’re really, I don’t know….calm. Way calmer than I expected,” he chuckled, running his good hand through his hair. “I thought you’d be mad after I yelled at you a few days ago.”

Was he really still harping on that right now?

“Oh, you mean the miscommunication? Why would I be mad about that? You already said you were sorry,” I commented, eating the last apple slice. “It’s over.”

“I know I did but since we’re going to be living together now and even sleeping in the same bed-”

“We’ll only be living in the same small house for a little bit,” I interrupted, cutting him off with a hand. “Shiro will find us soon. If not Shiro, I’m sure Hunk and Pidge will find a way to get their best friend back. They probably miss you way too much.”

“I guess you’re right,” he sighed, sitting back against his wheelchair. “Just a few more days and we’ll be able to leave.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


“Our earlier estimate on meeting with the King have been slightly postponed,” Mal smiled, the gesture a little weaker than normal. 

“What do you mean by that?” I urged, gripping the back of Lance’s wheelchair so I wouldn’t yell at the Sephyr. She had come alone since Ray had an actual job and didn’t have the time to join her. Her shorts and large shirt combination reminded me of a child in their parents clothing. She had worn heeled shoes to make the height difference less obvious but with Lance in his chair and me looming over him, she looked quite small. “You’re the King’s right hand, right? Can’t you speed this up?”

“I have spoken with the King and they see potential in your relationship that has made them propose an offer. They would like for you to entertain yourselves while they learn more about the Human race,” she explained, taking a seat on the couch. “They have been waiting for someone of your...special talents to come to Bellterr for a very long time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Our King finds the human race very interesting,” she commented, twirling a red hair between her fingers. “You have survived for nearly six thousand millennium. Though you were not intelligent beings for all of that time, you have changed into incredible beings that can explore the solar system now. You as an alien race have matured much faster than most planets have guessed you would. They told me they would like it if I helped you understand Bellterran culture before they consider an audience with you.” Tucking her tail between her legs in the most afraid we had seen her, she said. “I know it’s hard on you, being without your partners but I can’t upset my King.”

“That’s not-” Lance started but I interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder.

“We understand.” I could feel Lance's blue eyes peering up at me. I didn’t look him directly in the eye as I continued. “Is there anything else you can tell us? Like are there certain things we need to attend to before we can see the King and maybe tell us how long we’re gonna be stuck on this planet.” 

“There is the Bellterran Street Festivals and the King’s Dinner,” she tacked off, looking to her watch. A screen came up as she looked on something reminiscent of a calendar. “Oh, and the Glusckamatrokian Hunting contest. That’s a while away but most important is meeting each of the Court members face to face. They all wanted to meet you the moment you arrived but that was obviously impossible.”

“How many members are we talking about?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow in her direction. 

“There are only three members, each from a different planet and section of the Bellterr,” she sighed, pulling up photos of the three court members. All three were remarkably beautiful for aliens. Not to say aliens were ugly, I mean look at Allura. Technically, every planet we’ve gone to, we were the aliens. Not to say all of us were attractive but we weren’t covered in snot and dripping mucus. Pidge wasn’t really a girly girl and didn’t dress like one but at times when she’s staring down a computer she’s got an allure I guess. Hunk was ridiculously muscled while having just enough fluff to be comfy not to mention he was a standout cook. Shiro was all forms of attractive but he was so brotherly you couldn’t see past all of that. 

Lance, well.

Lance was a monopoly. Sometimes, I thought he was the most annoying being on the face of the universe. Just the way he would flirt with anything that breathed and the way he would constantly talk about how good of a shooter he was drove me insane. But then there were those moments when we would sit by the upside down pool and his hair was strangely soft looking and plastered against his neck. Or the times we would stand on the training deck and he was covered in sweat from fighting the Gladiator alongside me. Or even those times that he’d tell a horrible joke and everyone would laugh at how bad it was and that alone made him grow the most mind-blowing smile. That’s when he looked the most beautiful. Even when we were among dignitaries and royalty from other planets, he would polish his armor and laugh amongst the people, not a single care in his mind about the war. It’s at times like those that I see the most beautiful parts of Lance. His laugh that reminds me of a child's and those blue eyes that twinkled with light one second and later could pinpoint a target to kill. His prowess with a rifle was why we called him Sharpshooter, even when he wasn’t confident in himself. I’d never seen him miss a target he had his sights set on. 

**He was one of the most beautiful humans in the world if you asked me.**

But, thankfully, no one had, or it might have been a little embarrassing for the both of us.

“What?” 

“Wha-” I responded, shaking my head.

“You were staring,” he clarified, peering back up at me. “Hard too.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“I know I’m beautiful but damn,” he joked, flashing a signature grin as he turned back to Malone. “Who’s that?” He asked, pointing to a random alien on the page. She, I guess I could say she since she had feminine features, was pure white, like an albino snake, scales and all. Though her skin was covered in scales, it looked as smooth as milk and those scales only covered her four arms that she held tight across her chest. Her extreme green eyes the color of jewels and wheat colored hair made her look even more alien. Her legs were long and muscled, much like the runners I’d seen at the Garrison. She was dressed provocatively with much of her upper half visible in the red gown. Lance whistled and I smacked him in the head out of instinct.

“Hey!”

“This is Aklimadrostansoniwaki, Child of the Jhakdras, the Conquerors,” she said, strutting her brain muscles. “The Jhakdra people are known for their mental prowess.”

“Nickname please?” Lance asked, eyeing her upper half even more. 

“Her people call her Aklimadros the Conqueror.”

“And this guy?” I replied, pointing to the brutish man beside her. “He looks like he could break a truck with his teeth.” I wasn’t joking. Man had arms bigger than my head and looked like he stood an easy seven feet tall. His skin was orange and decorated with intricate tattoos and war paints.Someone had dressed him in a white gown, his legs completely hidden but I was sure underneath all of that cloth, he had boulders for a lower body.

“That is Mastrous, one of the only Zaydons left in the known universe,” she answered, her face scrunching. “He murdered everyone in a planet wide explosion while sending his children and his wife to us. When he came here, he told the King and he was instantly placed on the Court.”

“That’s horrible,” Lance muttered, looking down at the picture again.

“Not when the people were planning on taking over nearby planets to create war and suck up natural resources,” Mal explained, watching our faces for reactions. “He saved trillions by killing millions.”

“I wish someone would have done that to Zarkon,” I grumbled, finally lifting his hand off of my shoulder and crossing his arm. I didn’t want to make him any more uncomfortable with me than he already was but my comment made him stare up at me. “Maybe someone can do that to Lotor.”

“You’re just jealous that he has better hair than you,” Lance joked, lightly tapping my arm. “No need to get bloodthirsty because of that.”

“No he doesn’t!”

“Yes, he does!”

“No!”

“It’s all shiny and white unlike some mop headed mullet man like-”

“HUMANS!” Malone shouted, drawing our attention to the small alien. “I don’t have time for this needless arguments.”

“We weren’t arguing, we were discussing,” Lance retorted, nodding his head for me to follow along. 

“Whatever it is,” she warned, squinting her eyes. “We must continue.” Pointing to the last photo, she showed us a picture of a man that looked almost human. He was a tan man, skin the color of sand and eyes the color of oceans. His hair was white and his body reminded me of Shiro’s, all strong shoulders and big chests. Ears were pointed and pierced like a fantasy novel and choker pressed into his thick neck, the guy looked like a greek god. His easy going smile was so calming and with his hand pressed against plump lips, he looked like the greatest tease. I couldn’t lie if I wanted to. This guy was pretty damn attractive for an alien. 

“Wow,” was all Lance could breathe out, clicking on the picture to make it bigger. A burn started in my chest that felt worse than heartburn at the slow way he said it. “Who’s this?”

“Falhtelee of the Nimf people,” she hummed, her voice turning a little flirtatious. “He’s good to look at right?”

“I’ll say,” Lance smiled, zooming in a little more. “Got anymore pictures of Lee here?”

“Oh I have loads of him-”

“Can we get a move on? Is he the last one?” I interjected, my voice a little clipped. I could feel Lance’s glance up at me but I ignored it.

“You can send those to me later right?” he whispered , winking in her direction but I was instantly smacked him in the head again. “REALLY! In the Head! TWICE!”

“Maybe it’ll knock some sense into you,” I smiled, closing the screen on Malone’s band. “I’m guessing you’ll be taking us to these events?”

“Of course,” she smiled, her teeth sparkling. “It will be a, uh, what’s the word? Famka, Fameerly Day! That’s it, Family Day!”

“How, nice?” I commented,  throwing myself on the couch. “I guess you’ll let us know when we can leave.”

“Actually, we wanted to invite you to our home for a traditional Sephyr dinner,” Malone announced, shuffling her feet in what could only be described as nerves. It was weird seeing an alien show oddly human emotions like this. Especially when Sephyrs couldn’t control their emotions. “It is a tradition I keep up with most Champions.”

Lance, being the child he was, couldn’t keep his voice down as he moved to sit up straighter.

“Did I hear party! I miss alien parties especially since we haven’t been doing much work with the coalition and alliances! Food, family and fun equal party!”

“She said it was a Family dinner-” I started but Lance wasn’t listening to me as he talked to Malone.

“I don’t have anything to wear,” he moaned, tilting his head to the side. “I finally got my skin somewhat back to normal with the lotions you gave me, Mal, and now I don’t have something fancy to wear. I’m a total mess.”

“No need to worry, Lance,” she smiled, revealing a black duffle bag from behind her back. I jumped up at the sight of it but as she opened the bag, she revealed sets of clothes folded perfectly inside. “Ray made some outfits for you both! He will make more as soon as he’s given more time but orders for the Kings Dinner are making it a little hard for my poor husband.”

“You guys are married?” I asked, digging into the bag to hand Lance his clothes, each article in different shades of blue of course. “I thought you guys were just dating.”

“Oh no, our mating ritual ended hundreds of years ago,” she chuckled, pulling a necklace out of her shirt. “This necklace was what he gave me on our day of mating. I read that Human culture proclaims that you have to give rings, ones preferably with many ornaments on them.”

“Usually,” Lance commented, rummaging through the clothes with his one good hand. “But sometimes people do promise rings, wedding rings, family rings. My hermano got a tattoo instead of a ring and when Mama saw it she nearly ripped his balls off.”

“Balls?” Malone asked, tilting her head.

“Manhood, womb broom, happiness on a stick, nutter butters, ya know, your pe-“

“Alright, as much as I love anecdotes, I think we should get some time to get ready,” I interceded, ignoring Lance as he stuck his tongue in my direction. “You may not have noticed but the idiot over here can’t dress himself without my help.”

“I can totally dress myself without help, thank you very much,” he grumbled, trying to cross his arms in defiance but totally failing. I chuckled at the thought that he answered to idiot. “I just can’t put on my shoes. It takes tieing with two hands.”

“Oh, there are sand dials in there,” Malone replied, pointing to the side of the bag. In fact, there were two pairs, each our favorite primary color. I looked at the warily, thinking about how I could possibly defend the both of us in sandals. I hadn’t forgotten about us being set up to die and if I had the chance, I would talk to these Court members and find out who. It was inevitable that we would have someone who wouldn’t like us but it was just as inevitable that they would try again. I had made sure to check all of the food before we ate it and slept with my knife or Bayard but being out in public was a little unnerving. “Oh, I mean Sandals. I don’t understand though. There are no small specks of pressurized Earth in them.”

“Why would chancletas be made of sand?” Lance muttered, picking up one of the shoes.

“What’s a chankleeta?”

“Something to fear,” he shuddered, dropping the thing like it was on fire.

I shook my head before asking a relevant question. “How did you know what they looked like if you don’t understand there’s no sand in them?”

“Oh, from the catalog,” she smiled, pulling up another app on her band. Listed on there were hundreds of things tagged with Human. From fruit and sheets to even types of furniture. Lance opened his band and clicked the same app, looking through the catalog. “You can even rent tabs to understand other cultures. I have already found a history tab for you. We will give it to you at dark as a gift.”

“Yay,” Lance muttered, shutting his band off. “A history book. I’m so excited.”

“I’m glad you have the excitement! I was worried you would dislike such a complex gift,” she hummed, walking towards the door. Stopping just before, she pressed a button her band causing our bands to beep. “Those are the directions to our home. We are just down the street but Lance told me you were directionally challenged, Keith. I hope they find a donor for your need of a gps.”

“What?” I bristled, turning to say something to the Lance but he had already retreated to the bathroom. Grabbing the bag of clothes, I waved to Malone, closing the door behind her. Flipping one of the sandals into my hands, I muttered these final words. “Oh, I’ll give you a chancleta to fear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long! I was running around with school and mid terms and my other story Zills was getting a lot of attention from fans so I was geeking over that


	12. Chapter 12: Lance

“Mh!” I whined, gripping the sheets in front of me with shaking fingers and blunt nails. “Oh, quiznak.”

“Does it hurt?” Keith asked, kneading his thumbs deeper into my thighs, fingertips inches away from the bottom of my ass. “It feels better the more it hurts, you know.”

“That’s what they all say,” I moaned, grabbing a pillow to stuff my face in. That made me only get redder as Keith grabbed more massage lotion to squirt onto my thigh. Running a slick limb higher, he hit that one spot that made me see stars. “Ah, Harder! Right there!”

“You know, I get the fact that I have to massage your thighs for sixty doboshs a day feels great but the moans need to be a little lower, Lance,” Keith muttered, digging his thumb deeper into my upper thigh. “People might get suspicious.”

“That’s a little hard when-ah! When you keep hitting the same sore spot so well,” I hummed, peering over my shoulder. I could see the tell-tale haze of red heat fill his cheeks as I moaned again. Keith wasn’t the most fashionable person but he always managed to look good in whatever he wore. Like right now, he didn’t look disgusting and covered in ounces of sweat and grime even though he just didn’t a little exercise routine. Somehow, Keith Kogane could kill the ‘hobo man who never owned a brush’ look pretty well. I mean, he had his hair pulled up in a ponytail, low against his neck with several strands of fringe stuck to his forehead. His rumpled red shirt was messed up from the workout and the black pants he wore were just two sizes bigger than he could fit in. That only made him look softer, somehow, and dare I say, sexy. I couldn’t tell if I liked this soft looking Keith or the ‘Kick Ass’ Keith but it definitely made my chest hurt to look at him for too long.

Keith felt so bad for beating me with the chancleta that he had decided a massage on my bad leg would make it feel better. I joked about how sexual that was but he just ignored me as he lifted me up, bridal style and tossed me on the bed. Ordering me to roll onto my stomach, he pulled out massage lotion from somewhere and began rubbing. I couldn’t lie, it was kind of hot to be picked up and thrown somewhere. Especially since I was taller than Keith and just a bit thinner. You couldn’t see it if you didn’t pay close attention but Keith was a ball of toned but strong muscles. Apparently, since he had trained a lot in his life, he decided to learn online how to massage knots and tears. The nurse had told us that my thigh had to be massaged every day for at least sixty doboshs before I could even think about walking again and suggested I come by the hospital every other day. Thankfully, Keith told them he could do it, especially after seeing the ten tentacle medical masseuse crack some joints.

The Nurse also told me that I was more likely to walk before I would be able to hold my Bayard with two hands. 

At first, we couldn’t try massages because I was knocked out and Keith refused to touch me while I was unconscious. Keith Kogane, the Chivalrous Gentlemen? Wrong. That had only made my leg that much tighter! If anyone had told me before that Keith Kogane had the hands of God, I would have laughed in their face.

But.

Keith Kogane had the hands of God.

The callouses on his hand mixed with the massaging lotion made my legs feel as though they were in heaven. It was warming lotion too so the more he kneaded those heavenly fingers into my baby smooth skin, the hotter the area got and the less knots I had. And when he switched from one leg to the other, I thought I would faint.

“Oh, harder, Keith!” I moaned, immediately turning red as Keith’s hands stopped at the base of my ass. 

“Lance,” he growled, his voice almost breathless. “Last warning.”

“Sorry, sorry,” I quickly replied, digging my face into the pillow as his hands went in one long squeeze until he reached my calves. “Oh, you don’t have to-”

“It makes you weaker if you don’t go through all of the muscles in the leg,” he mumbled, barely loud enough for me to hear. “It’ll only take a few more minutes.”

“I totally get it, buddy, but we’ve been doing this for about an hour and a half,” I chuckled, heat travelling up my spine as a moan was about to escape. I had my breath in order to not let it slip added more lotion to my calves. Keith had found the sensitive joints near my Achilles and was knuckling up from there expertly. I knew if I made another noise, something other than my leg muscles would be getting tight. “I-I’m not complaining but we do have that dinner to get to.”

Keith hummed a yes as he continued, the pads of his fingers working their magic. I was in bliss until his fingers stopped, hands laying flat against my thigh. Drowsily lifting my head, I looked behind me to find Keith staring down at my leg.

“What? Is there a bruise there too?” Keith jumped, taking a second to long looking at my thigh before glancing up at me. Shaking his head, he looked back to my leg, pressing pads slowly into the skin. He was a bit distracted and not as aggressive as before, so I decided to ask him what was going on. “Come on Keith, you have to talk to me or I won’t know.”

“Why am I so awkward?” He muttered, his head dropping a little more. 

“Um….”

“I mean like,” he started, rubbing harder again. “I don’t like any of the stupid meeting we had to do for the coalition and now we have to meet with a bunch of diplomats just to get off his damn planet-

“OW!” I shouted, pulling my leg back to myself. Keith had rubbed to hard into one of the bruises on my leg. He immediately moved from me, his eyes wide. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, moving to get away from me but I grabbed his wrist. “What?”

“Why are you leaving?”

“I literally just hurt you even worse than before and you’re asking me why I’m leaving,” he mumbled, tugging at my grip but I held on.

“I didn’t say leave,” I retorted, pulling again. Blinking a few times, flicked his finger in my direction, silently ordering me to flip over. I listened like a good client and watched as he straddled my ankles. A breathless gasp escaped my throat as he took the remaining oil on his hands and began to massage the fronts of my legs. It was hard not to moan now that I could see his hands work their magic on my lower half. 

Wait. Not that lower half, I mean, my thighs. 

Well, to be honest, this was the most touching I had had on my legs in what seemed like forever. When I swam competitively it was normal for the trainers to touch us like this but this was Keith. Just seeing those thick fingers disappear into the hard muscles of my thighs made me feel something oddly satisfying in the pit of my stomach. 

“Ha-Have you done this before?” I whispered, breathlessly. Keith swallowed hard as he continued to massage near my knees before he answered.

“I’ve done it to myself but not anyone else,” he replied, his voice oddly low and husky. “Only you.”

Just the sound of those words coming out of those parted lips made every nerve in my brain to fire off. Unfortunately, that made other muscles start to fire too and soon enough my thigh was jumping with excitement. In order to stop me from moving, Keith decided it would be a good idea to straddle my calves with his thighs, the solid muscle of his legs trapping me in place. I had already moved a pillow behind me to support myself enough to watch his handiwork but it was starting to get a little hot in the room and all of my blood was pouring south.

Had I really been this starve for intimacy?

As Keith knuckled higher up my thigh, nearly hitting my hips, a moan escaped, the sound so breathless and needy that it made Keith stop. I was immediately embarrassed and threw a pillow over my face so he wouldn’t see the tomato that was my face.

**Could I really make a sound like that!**

“Um, I-uh, I have to, um,” Keith sputtered and I just waved my hand before I felt the pressure of his legs off of mine. I waited until the door was shut before I removed the pillow and took a breath.

  
  


One awkwardly hidden boner and a cold shower later, I had all of the massage lotion off of my skin and was moisturized and fresh. Keith, of course, complained that I took a little longer to get ready but if I was going out to a dinner party, I was going out looking right. 

“Did you really use three different moisturizers for every section of your body?” Keith groaned, hiking up the sleeves of his tunic. The clothes Ray made reminded me of villages that didn’t have power. The tunic was simple, red and black stitching held up pieces of the tunic and the pants were tighter fitting, showing off the curves of Keith’s strong legs. His small waist was accentuated by the attached belt that made him seem even smaller. “Isn’t that a little excessive?”

“I need deep moisture for my elbows, knees and feet,” I retorted, rubbing my elbows in time. “Anti-aging on my arms and neck and a bit of the polish stuff Ray gave me works wonders on my legs. I’m sure you noticed, Samurai.”

“No, I didn’t,” he retorted, his ears turning red. “Let’s just get a move on.”

  
  


Ray and Malone’s house was just like every other cookie cutter how in this alien suburb. The only difference was, their front yard was a complete disaster. Several plants were uprooted and bushes were flipped upside down, even a few patches of grass were missing. Metal pieces and bolts were scattered across the front of the house. Even though the homes looked the same on the front, I could see as I rolled up that the back of their house was bigger. Several lights were on in all of the rooms, and as I continued to look, one light flashed multiple times. 

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Keith whispered, reaching for his Bayard. He had strapped the heavy weapon on his waist belt and nodded for me to do the same. “Ready?”

“Yup.”

Keith reached a tentative hand to the door knob, looking down to me. Just as his hand reached for the door, a scream peeled through the quiet neighborhood and two small creatures ran by us. Keith and I jumped at the sight of two green figures toppling into the front yard throwing things across the street.

“KALTAKRAMNUMISTRASTOK AND MALTOKSIRLO! GET BACK HERE AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM!”

Keith’s arm lowered as he looked into the house to find Ray shouting in our direction. We both watched as Ray ran outside in tighty whities and a red robe, the tie not really holding up the robe well. It was interesting to see him like that but at the same time, I didn’t understand the chaos we had just witnessed. To make things even more interesting, Malone walked up with a small Sephyr-like child around toddler age, her skin the color of deep purple. The child had black pigtails long enough to reach her waist and her thumb was jammed in her mouth.

“Make sure they come back without a scratch Ray!” Malone shouted before turning to us. “Well, hello, friends! Welcome to the Place of our Living!”

Keith couldn’t bring himself to comment so I was left with answering. 

“Um, what?” 

“Was my greeting wrong?” Malone sighed, bobbing up and down as the small Sephyr leaned into her neck. “I was sure I read it properly.”

“No, um, like, I don’t know,” Keith started, peering into the house. There were metal pieces all over and even things that resembled toys. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, this is our home,” Malone explained, moving to let us enter. Keith and I looked behind us to see if Ray was coming but he was down the street with the two daredevils in green. “Ray will be back soon if you were worried about him.”

“What is he running after?” I asked, taking in the view of their home. Their house was much like ours except there were more family articles, even on the dining room table. Not to mention the two other bedrooms our house didn’t have. 

“Our children.”

“CHILDREN!” Keith jumped, looking back to the smaller Sephyr with wide eyes.  “You have kids!”

“Yes,” she giggled, placing the smaller child down. “This young one is Zokilllenaminallion named after her late Papan. You probably heard from Ray the names of our twin boys.”

“You have three kids already? Isn’t that a bit early?” Keith sighed, moving to sit on the couch. When he sat, a squeaking sound made him jump from the seat, ready to spring into action. The little one walked up and dug through the couch to pull out a stuffed toy before looking to Keith again.

Muttering something in an unknown language, she pointed at Keith. Reaching her tiny hands up, she repeated. “Kitan! Kitan! Uppa Kitan!”

“What did she say? Did I do something wrong?” He squeaked, looking to Malone, but Malone only smiled.

“She says you are very pretty,” Mal chuckled, pressing a hand to her lips. “In Sephyr, Kitan means pretty.”

“Aw, Keith, she likes you,” I hummed, moving to settle in the sitting area.

“I’m not kitten though-”

“Kitan, Keetan Kitten! Kitten!” The little girl squealed running to press her cheek against Keith’s leg.

“No, Keith,” he tried to explain, looking morbidly dead on the inside. “I’m Keith. It’s Keith!” I couldn’t stop myself from laughing as he glared in my direction. “It’s not funny, Lance!”

“Keef Kitan, uppa!” Zokil, um Zokilemon. I needed to get nicknames for them. Keith slowly tried to dislodge the little one from his leg without hurting her and I tried my best not to laugh at him anymore. Apparently, he wasn’t good with kids. 

“Are there nicknames for the kids? Like Ray’s name,” I asked, moving my seat to be near Keith. That got the little one to let go of Keith and run over to my chair to see why it moved. I let her reach around and explore. 

“Zokillenamaminallion seems attached to the Human name, Zoey,” Malone replied, looking to the toddler again. Saying something in Sephyr, the little one understood. Giggling and reaching for my bandaged arm, the little one smiled in my direction. 

“Aw, you are such a cutie,” I muttered, reaching up to help her sit on my lap. It hurt a little bit and I had to hold in my pain because Keith yanked the child out of my lap and placed her on the floor. “Keith.”

“No climbing,” he warned, glaring down at the child. “He’s still hurt.”

Human and Adult Sephyr watched as the little one’s lower lip quivered before she started wailing, dropping to her knees for emphasis. Malone just smiled all the way through but Keith and I didn’t know what to do.

“How do I shut her off! I barely touched her!”

“She’s not a toy, Keith, she’s a toddler,” I tried to explain, covering one ear as best as I could. This brought back memories of my baby cousins showing up at the house and just destroying everything. Looking up to Keith, I shouted, “Pick her up!”

Keith immediately picked up Zoey and held her at arm's length, cringing as the child only screamed louder.

“Ha ha, my little noomaski, ha ha,” someone said just behind us. Standing at the door and holding two small Sephyr boys, identical in face, by the collar was Ray. He was covered in silver dust and his pants were still gone but he looked accomplished as he waited for the door to close and threw his sons forward. The two Sephyrs ran to stand as far away from him as possible as Ray walked over to Keith. “Is this how you hold your offspring, Human? It seems very uncomfortable.”

“Keith doesn’t know a single thing about offspring. Sometimes I wonder if he ever was a baby,” I joked, as Ray began to nudge his head against Zoey’s. The child instantly quieted as her father held her and Keith sighed as Ray took Zoey in his hands. “Wow, is that magic or what? I couldn’t do that with my little sister if I tried.”

“Ray is good with the disciplining and caretaking,” Malone smiled, tickling the nose of her daughter. “I am not so good at saying no.”

“Neither could my Abuela so you don’t have to worry,” I replied, looking up at Ray. “Ray. Why don’t you have pants on?”

“Wha-oh,” he sighed, looking down. “I guess I need to go do that. I’ll be taking Zokillena-”

“Zoey,”the little toddler interrupted, pouting her lip out again before sticking her thumb back in her mouth. It was adorable to watch her tiny tail swing as her father nudged her with his nose.

“Zoey, then. Zoey will come with me while we change,” Ray smiled, walking towards their room. Turning at the end, he yelled. “Kaltakra and Maltok! Say your greetings like good Sephyrs!”

Immediately, the two green Sephyrs stood before Malone, her hands falling to their shoulders. 

“I am Maltok,” one said, his hair swept against his right eye. 

“I am Kaltakra,” the other smiled, his hair to the left.

They were identical and very handsome young men as well. Each stood chest length to Malone and their green skin was freckled and smooth. The only characteristic that I found different on either one of their faces was the mole on Maltok’s chin that was barely visible if you weren’t paying attention. Otherwise, they were identical down to the pants and shirt. Their tails were even intertwined as they stood each looking at us with a weird look.

“Which is Keith?” Maltok asked.

“And which is Lance?” Kaltakra concluded, pointing to us in different directions. 

“Oh, um, I’m Keith,” Keith sighed, reaching a hand out to shake but the twins looked at him oddly before turning to me. I chuckled as Keith pulled his arm back a bit awkwardly. 

“And I’m Lance,” I replied, bowing my head a bit. “It’s nice to see you can speak English. Makes everything easier for us”

“We studied,” they said, simultaneously, turning on their heels to face their mom. “We **are** the smartest students in our academics.”

“Wow,” I smiled, looking to them with a hand outstretched. “Academics aren’t everything though, kids. Make sure you have fun. Especially with the ladies-”

“Says the failing and girlfriendless pilot,” Keith muttered, and turned to stick my tongue in his direction, the twins following suit. Keith just grumbled before crossing his arms.

“Can we show them how to play Vastro Ball or must we have dinner first?”

“Dinner,” Malone smiled, pointing to the table. “Sit down while I speak to the Humans.”

“I can’t believe you have kids,” I huffed, part of me feeling terribly inadequate. “You’re so young!”

“Upset you flirted with a married women?” Keith chuckled, moving to stand in front of me. That signature smirk was plastered on his face like always, a little lopsided on one end. “Or is it that she’s married and has kids make you more worried?”

“No creature is off limits from Lover Boy Lance,” I proclaimed, waggling my eyebrows in his direction. “If they’re attractive, I’m flirting.”

“Typical,” he sighed, a look of disappointment etched on his face. I tilted my head to the side in confusion as he took his place at the table, far enough away from the twins that he wouldn’t have to socialize with them and close enough to the empty space my wheelchair was to fit. I guess he’d rather sit with me than deal with the little ones. Ray came outside with a redressed Zoey and placed her just beside me where she played with her pigtails and sucked on her thumb. 

“What’s for dinner?” I asked, picking up a doll Ray handed me. It reminded me of a mutilated elephant but Zoey loved it so I used it to play with her. 

“Ray made classic Belleterran Jakro,” Malone smiled proudly. Ray moved to grab a steaming pot off of the stove and placed it on the table, careful to not let it hit anyone. As he began to pour, it reminded me of the stews my hermano used to try to make. Black soup with pieces of things that looked like beans and leek floated in the mix and the smell was just horrifying. Keith tried not to gag as Ray poured some for him and I looked to him expectantly as he placed a thumb in it. The goop stuck to his finger and as he brought it to his lips, a smile grew on his face.

“It tastes like French Onion soup,” he gasped, reaching for the spoon. Tugging his hair into a loose ponytail, he ladled more for himself. “How is that possible?”

“Bellterran Jakro has a secret ingredient called Gar,” Ray explained, pouring for the rest of the table. “Gar makes anything taste like what you want it to. But you must be careful, one can get drunk off of Gar.”

“I usually don’t like French Onion soup though,” he mumbled, spooning another. “Now it tastes like Shrimp Gumbo!”

Spooning some out for myself, I hesitantly pressed the spoon to my lips and tasted the tell-tale flavor of Ajiaco. My mouth watered as fresh roasted corn flavor and potatoes hit all of the tastebuds in my mouth. Even the spices like chipotle and a hint of cumin that my Mama used to put in mine was making me reach for another spoonful. “That’s amazing!”

“What does yours taste like?” Keith asked, soup spoon still in his mouth.

“My Mama’s Ajiaco,” I sighed, suddenly feeling a little tired. The taste was making me think back to my family and our gatherings by the beach. The times my Mama would make me pastelitos de guayaba and put enough for it to melt through. Or when my Papa would make cafecito in the morning and the smell would wake me up. Just the taste of red potatoes in the Ajiaco reminded me of Stella and how we used to search for seashells on the beach. The last time I saw her, she was in eighth grade. 

She was probably a Junior in Highschool now.

“Lance,” Keith whispered, pressing his hand against my shoulder. With a flick of his wrist he wiped something away from my face. I glanced down at his fingers to see water glisten off of them. “Why are you crying?”

“Oh, I-uh, I’m sorry, it’s just so good,” I chuckled, wiping the tears from my face too roughly. Malone and Ray seemed to take that as normal while Keith just stared at me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had such good food. The castle doesn’t make food goo taste like this.”

“Gar is a natural dust that only grows on Bellterr,” Ray smiled, digging into his bowl. Humming, he said. “Tastes just like our wedding castle-oh, excuse me, cake. I meant, cake.”

“That’s the same taste I have too, noomaski,” she smiled, taking sips of hers. The twins quickly added what theirs tasted like before Zoey tried to explain hers in a mixture of Sephyr and English. I quickly melted their conversation into the back of my mind as I ate every last drop of the soup before my thoughts of my family took over. I couldn’t think about them now. I was doing something so important and necessary for the universe. Even if I didn’t want to be here one hundred percent, I **needed** to be here. This mission was more than just me.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Keith whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. I jumped at the softness in his voice and tried to not look at the concerned gaze in those violet eyes. “Unlike everyone else, I know what you look like when you’re upset.”

“It’s-um, it’s just hard, you know,” I replied, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know how long it’s been and I don’t know how my family is doing so I’m just a little sad.”

“That’s normal, Lance,” he sighed, laying a hand on my lap. The touch burned for a moment before my body warmed to it. “I may not know what a family feels like but I know about missing someone.”

“You do have a family, Keith,” I said, taking my good hand to rest on his. Clenching my fingers over his, I smiled as his moved to hold mine. “Shiro, Allura, Hunk, Pidge, Coran, even me. We’re one terribly dysfunctional soap opera but we’re family.”

Keith sighed, tightening his hand in mine as he nodded, turning his gaze back to the family. For the remainder of the meal, Keith held my hand under the table and took over conversations just to let me stay quiet and calm. I wanted to cry at how comfortable the feeling of his hand on me felt. It seemed like the more we spent time together, the more I wanted Keith to touch me, laugh with me, spend time with me. The amount of care that Keith put into everything, even our relationship or whatever this was, **made me feel like the most important thing in the universe.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A PASTELITO IS, YOU NEED TO GO FIND ONE AND STUFF IT IN YOUR MOUTH
> 
> My Cuban Colombian side of the family made sure I was a rolly polly child because of the Guayaba and the Pastelitos! Cuban bread was breakfast every day!
> 
> And Ajiaco.....bro......thats the shit you drink when your sick and Abuelita needs to fatten you up to fight the cold.....I'm not even Cuban but my tia made sure I felt like one.
> 
>  
> 
> Y one more thing!  
> I NEED COMMENTS TO SURVIVE!!!!! COMMENT CHILDREN PLEASE!!!!!!


	13. Chapter 13: Lance

After the twins were forced to go to bed and Ray cleaned up the kitchen, the rest of the family gathered around in the living room on the couch. Zoey had taken to curling up to Keith and playing with her elephant, thumb stuck in her mouth. Keith glared at her like she was a tumor while I tried not to laugh. Malone had found their wedding photos in a tab, which was apparently a screen you could hold in your hands. As she flipped through, I watched Keith squirm and try to move farther from Zoey.

“That little lakdra seems to like you, Keith,” Ray chuckled, moving to sit beside Malone. Laying an arm over her shoulder, he whispered something, making Malone jump and smile. They continued a whispered conversation in their Sephyr language as Keith and I shared a look.

“I wonder what they speak about when they whisper like that,” Keith grumbled, moving his arm to avoid Zoey’s spit slicked thumb.

“It’s like when my Tia would cut our hair and speak in Portuguese in order to speak badly about us,” I shuddered, remembering her mole. “But it’s kind of cute for them.”

“How?”

“They’re married, with kids and living in the suburbs,” I chuckled, playing with Zoey’s pigtails. The little Sephyr smiled before yawning. “They could be a sitcom.”

“Yeah, a sitcom about an alien race that kidnaps people and forces them to fight in an arena one day and the next brings them home for dinner.” Keith replied, his voice deadpan. “That’d be a great show.”

“That would be a good idea,” Malone replied, thankfully, in English.

“The sitcom?” I asked, turning to Malone.

“No, silly, though you must explain the meaning of sitting on a com,” she chuckled, laying her head on Ray’s shoulder. “May we ask you a question?”

“Aren’t you alread-” I punched Keith before he could finish.

“Sure,” I smiled, moving Zoey into my lap. 

“Would you mind watching our lakdra tomorrow?” They asked, simultaneously.

“What?” Keith asked blankly.

“You see, Malone has a meeting with another family who is integrating,” Ray started but Malone immediately took over.

“And Ray is already behind on his work-”

“I’m a seamster,” Ray clarified, pointing to our clothes. “I made everything you are wearing and have much more coming but with the upcoming events-”

“It’s impossible for him to watch Zoey properly,” she continued, pointing down to the already sleeping Sephyr. She had somehow fallen asleep on Keith and the Paladin hadn’t noticed. When he looked down, he immediately froze. “Zoey won’t even sleep like that with us but for some reason, she likes Keith.”

“Why would she like me?” He hissed, too afraid to wake up the child. “I barely touched her!”

“Maybe some kids like cold hearted bastards,” I muttered, earning a pillow to the face.

“It is a pheromone thing but she hates all of her other babysitters,” Ray said, walking over to pick up the Sephyr. “She is fairly independent and will tell you when she’s hungry or has to go to the bathroom, even nap. Once I finish all of my work tomorrow, I’ll come right over and pick her up.”

“Oh, so it’s only for a day,” I replied, nodding my head and ignoring Keith’s immediate glare. “Sure!”

“Perfect,” Ray smiled, moving to carry Zoey off to another room. Malone stood to start cleaning up the dishes we had used while I turned to a shocked Keith.

“How can you say yes!” He grunted, crossing his arms as he stood. “You aren’t going to be the one taking of her!”

“What do you mean? Of course, I am,” I replied, leaning back in my wheelchair. “Who would ever leave a child with you?”

“Obviously a medical professional because they left your sorry ass with me,” he grumbled, turning to leave. I turned the knob on my chair to follow him, a disappointed look on my face. 

“Not funny, and I can take care of a toddler with broken limbs better than you can take care of one healthy!”

“Well, I guess we’ll see about that tomorrow!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“Please don’t use my child as a competition,” Malone smiled, a somewhat deadly sneer on that pristine face. We shuddered at her face as we waved our goodbyes and bolted out of the door, thoughts of our competition out of our mind. 

  
  
  
  


After another Kogane special massage, I was able to stand up with a little help. Keith didn’t really want to help me but I said I’d try myself and probably crack my head open so he decided it was in his best interest to help out. Once I was in the tub, it took me nearly sixty doboshs to feel clean but that didn’t stop Keith from storming in like he was going to throw me out of the tub.

“WHY DOES IT TAKE YOU SO LONG TO TAKE A SIMPLE BATH!” He shouted, his towel draped over one shoulder, clothes on the other.  “Clean what you have to clean and get the hell out!”

“It’s not my fault that I need to have perfect skin while yours is like an alligator,” I grumbled, lifting the bubbles in my hand. It wasn’t really true that he was like an alligator. The Asian-American had skin like a velveteen doll! He didn’t even have to exfoliate! 

“My skin isn’t that bad,” he mumbled, rubbing the side of his arms to check. He still had a little massage oil on his hands and it left a shiny line down his arm. 

“Come here,” I grumbled, reaching a soapy hand out. Keith traipsed over to show me his arm as I sat up in the tub. Running my hand down the same spot he touched, I rejoiced, internally, over how soft and delicate it was. He really did feel like a baby doll and a toy teddy bear had a lovechild. “Why is your skin so soft!”

“Didn’t you just say I was like an alligator?” 

“Didn’t you just say I was like an alligator,” I grumbled, pitching my voice higher just to tick Keith off. Lucky for me, it worked. 

“For one second could you stop acting like a child,” he grunted, moving to stand up. Just to make him upset, I tugged as hard as my uninjured arm allowed and watched as the former Red Paladin took a nose dive into the tub. Water splashed everywhere and soaked the poor idiot in lavender scented bubbles. I laughed disgustingly as he turned his body to sit in the water. His hair was soaked and with his body added to the tub, the water was overflowing onto the floor. It was oddly adorable to see his face flushed red with soap suds in his hair and on his nose. Reaching up as seriously as I could, I wiped the bubbles off of his cheek. That only made him turn redder and that only made me laugh louder. “I can’t believe you just did that.”

“Well, you were being grumpy so I thought a soak would make the little Kitten happier,” I chuckled, kicking my legs under him. Just to torture me, Keith sat farther in the tub, making it harder for me to stretch my long timbs. 

“Nice job, genius,” he sighed, grunting as he tried to get himself out of the tub. Narrowly knocking himself out as he tried, I had to catch Keith’s head before he killed himself. 

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to get out.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Exactly what I said,” I responded, pushing more bubbles onto Keith’s shirt. “You’re already wet, so you should just take a bath.”

“Wha-What!” He jumped, turning those violet eyes in my direction. “That’s just-what are you playing at?”

“Playing at? I’m saying that you should just kick your boots off and take a bath,” I responded, looking at him oddly. Taking a moment to watch Keith sputter, I realized what I had said and felt my face fill with embarrassment. “Whoa! I didn’t-like not like. Shit! Not like that!”

“Oh, thank god,” he sighed, covering his face with his hands.

“What do you mean, ‘oh thank god’?”

“I don’t want to take a bath with you.”

“You would be lucky to take a bath with me,” I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Women would line up to bathe with me back at the Garrison.”

“You are such a liar,” he chuckled, trying to sit up again but only failing. “I doubt anyone would ever want to shower with the likes of you.”

Sure, I lied but he didn’t have to say it like that!

“Likes of me- you’re such an asshole! Get out,” I growled, using both arms to try and push him out. I immediately regretted it as the pain in my arm made me scream. “AH!”

“STOP IT, YOU IDIOT!” Keith shouted, pushing my arms back and flopping into the water. “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!”

“I don’t need a disrespectful asshole bathing with me,” I grumbled, nursing my shoulder with my other hand. 

“Look, I’m sorry, just stop using your arm,” Keith apologized, reaching a tentative hand out to touch my shoulder. The spot had already begun to swell and as Keith turned his body in my direction, he began kicking his boots off. 

“Wh-What are you doing?”

“I’ve got to get a better look at your shoulder,” he muttered, turning to sink his whole body into the tub. Straddling my hips, he pressed a cold hand over the swollen part of my shoulder. “Damn, it’s gotten pretty swollen.”

**That’s not the only thing getting swollen.**

I could feel the blood rushing south as I felt Keith’s hands on my chest. Since I was only wearing shorts, I could feel the brush of his jeans against my legs and his feet tickled mine while I sat. His eyebrows were furrowed as he pressed around the painful lump on my shoulder, eyes tracing the bruises there. His hair had droplets of water on it and his fringe had fallen over his eyes. It looked perfect for pushing back and holding in my hands. 

I did just that as I reached up to push his fringe from his face. Keith’s fingers immediately stopped as he looked up to my face. I could feel his breath beating against my face softly as I cupped a hand onto his cold cheek.

“Lance?” He whispered, letting his hand drop lower to fall on my stomach. Shivers ran over my skin as I ran a thumb over his cheek, dashing a single water droplet off. Moving to sit up, I felt something blunt hit my thigh. My face burned as I sat fully up, Keith’s legs still straddling my body.

“Is that a knife in your pants or are you just excited to see me?” I blurted out, immediately regretting it. Keith’s face went blank as he blinked a few times before bursting into laughter. Reaching into his waistband, Keith pulled out his Blade of Marmora Knife, tossing it over the tub. “Oh, so it was a knife.”

“Yup,” he chuckled, wiping some water from my face. Moving to stand, Keith successfully stood up, my hand falling down to my side. He stepped out and peeled his shirt over his shoulders. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at the lines of his abdomen and curves of his waist. Small marks and old scars littered his sides and back but that didn’t take away from the sculpting that had occurred from years of training. “I’ll massage your shoulder once you finish.”

“Will you be shirtless?” I burst, shocking myself and Keith alike.

“Um, sure,” he commented, equally as flustered as I was. Reaching for the door, he nodded before leaving. The instant he left, I buried my face in my hands.

Had I really just asked Keith if he was going to be shirtless while massaging my shoulder? 

Yes, I really did.

Do I regret it?

**Not a single bit.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here goes! I'm sorry for neglecting ya'll I've got tons of shit happening and I can't do it all the time but I'm trying guys I'M TRYING


	14. Chapter 14: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HALO HALO FRIENDS!

After awkwardly asking Keith to lift me up out of the tub so I could dry off, he decided that he would just carry me to the bed. It was a little embarrassing having such a small guy pick me up from one place to another but the other part of me felt oddly special. I was sure he wouldn’t pick up people like this often. I would have felt bad about my weight but Keith didn’t even break a sweat when he picked me up. Not saying that I weighed much, I was sure it had to be troublesome to carry a fully grown teenager from one place to another. Keith never said a word as he laid me down on the bed and placed pillows behind my back, promising to return after he showered. Part of me was a little sad that his comfortable warmth was gone but the other half of me kicked it into the back of my mind.

Over the past few days, I had noticed a lot about the black haired Samurai.

For one thing, he bit into strawberries instead of cutting the stem from the beginning. Even though I warned him that there’s a thing called bacteria, he refuses to wash fruits and vegetables before taking a bite. The idiot chugs water like it’s a sport and even then, he complains about being thirsty. He has to wear different socks every day because his feet sweat for no reason at all and when he wakes up, he doesn’t have to brush his hair. Just a simple finger comb makes the mullet lay down. When he woke up in the morning, the first thing he did was check to see if his knife was under his pillow and yes, he sleeps with his knife under his pillow. 

The man missed piloting too, he didn’t like the stationary life we’ve been living for the past couple of days. It was taking a toll too because he literally worked out every opportunity he had. If he wasn’t fixing sandwiches, cleaning fruit or massaging the kinks out of my legs, he was doing some workout regimen. That regimen included, pullups, pushups, jump squats and sit ups that could rival Garrison training. It made sense, though. Red didn’t have a single pound of fat on his lean body and if he did, it had to be around his cheeks. I guess you could say it was baby fat but it was what made his face so child like when he smiled.

When he laughed, he would quickly cover his mouth so you wouldn’t see him smile. It was hard to get him to smile brightly but once you did, it’s worth all of the hard work. It was funny too, because when he smiled the most was when I egged him on. From someone else's point of view, it would look like he was smirking at his own comments, but when I looked him in the eye, I could tell right then. 

He was smiling at me. 

To be honest, that just started happening when Keith became leader. Sure, I was jealous that he was the leader since he was good at literally everything but the Black Lion didn’t choose just anyone. It chose who it thought would lead Voltron in the right direction. When Blue decided that Allura would be a better leg and Red chose me, I was initially devastated. Even when my connection with Red was tested, I felt like I wasn’t enough but Keith reassured me. Keith showed me that no matter what, I was important to the team. When Shiro returned I was still having worries but that didn’t change Keith’s view of me. He still thought I was necessary and still needed me by his side. That made me feel better than ever.

I knew Hunk needed my help when he was anxious and Pidge needed me for experiments. Allura didn’t need anyone but when she needed to lighten up, I was there. Coran liked me there for conversation and Shiro used me to check on everyone else when he couldn’t. 

**But Keith.**

Keith never needed me for anything until the day he was chosen as leader and I was there. 

He needed me to be his stability and keep him in check because no one else had the impact I had on him. 

That made me feel like our relationship was special.

**Maybe a little more special than both of us realized.**

 

When Keith finally returned, he was shirtless, just as he promised before. I fidgeted as I tried not to stare at his body for longer than a few seconds. He walked over to the pile of dirty clothes we had accumulated over the past few days and dropped his clothes in. It was getting on my nerves but it wasn’t like I could do anything about it with the bad arm still in a sling. Holding a towel over his damp locks, he rubbed until they were dry, before letting them fall over his eyes. My eyes caught the sight of water trailing down his spine, illuminating the old scars on his back like twinkling stars. I had never really noticed the markings on his back that probably came from his endless days of training before he joined the Garrison. As he turned to look at me, I noticed a thicker scar on his abdomen that was just above his navel where dark hairs accumulated. That’s when I had to stop myself because I could see the muscles in his stomach tighten as I stared.

“Um, do you still need me to massage your shoulder?” Keith muttered, using his arms to cover his chest. Great, I’m a creep now that stares at his teammates while they’re half naked and dripping wet. It’s not like it’s the first time either. “It probably hurts a lot more now than it did before.”

He was right.

My shoulder was throbbing now and I could feel my bone tighten as Keith walked over to the bed. I was still shirtless and only wore a pair of shorts with socks to bed. Being this naked in front of Keith made me a little more embarrassed than when bathing. Especially since Keith was starting to get more hands on with me than before. 

“Yeah, man, it really hurts,” I groaned, shifting my shoulder for emphasis. Keith reached for the massaging oil that he used before and squirted some into his hands. Mixing the liquid to warm, he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed, careful to not hit me in any way. 

Pressing a warmed finger against the swollen lump on my shoulder, Keith said. “You shouldn’t have tried to hit me. The reset bone shifted and now you’ll have a bruise and swelling.”

“Fantastic,” I grumbled, shaking my head as my head lolled back. “Just what I needed. Another bruise.” 

“It won’t look any worse than the other ten,” he chuckled, leaning forward for further investigation. As he leaned, I could smell fresh lavender radiating off of his cool skin. His hair had shifted just enough that he had to tuck it behind his ear, letting more of the scent waft in the air. Somehow, I had managed to lean too forward, my face buried in the spiral of his head. “What are you doing?”

I jumped back at the sound of his voice, before blurting the first thing that came to mind. “I wanted to see if you smelled bad.”

“What?” He asked, his voice low and slow. “Why would I smell bad? I literally just took a shower.”

“Well, you never know, with short people,” I joked, regretting it the second it came out of my mouth. 

“What’s my height have to do with this?” He grumbled, sitting up fully to look me in the eye. I didn’t know if he noticed but he was literally inches away from my face and his breath was warm against my cheek. The dried fringe of his hair had fallen perfectly over his lavender colored eyes, tinging them darker.“I’m literally two inches shorter than you.”

“In some instances, two inches is a lot,” I chuckled, glancing down to his waistband. That was an immediate mistake because I could see the bulge placed right in the front that leaned a little to the left. My face burned red as I leaned back and immediately apologized. “Sorry, tasteless joke for someone who’s been helping me.”

Keith didn’t say anything as he shook his head and returned to his work. It was silent as he applied some ointments and re-checked my bandages. I hated the quiet, especially when I couldn’t move to get somewhere loud. In the McClain house, there wasn’t a quiet moment ever. Not even at night. The way my Papa and older brother Alejandro snored, you couldn’t dream of silence at night. It was so bad that we couldn’t have people over because they wouldn’t sleep with all of the noise. Elisa and Marisol were a whole other story during the day and Stella, well, Stella wasn’t quiet a moment in her life. Marco couldn’t sleep without his radio on and during the day he blasted music to stay focused.

“You’re thinking too loud,” Keith mumbled, lifting his head to smirk in my direction. “Let me guess, it has something to do with your family. Or is it your siblings this time.”

What voodoo magic is he using?

“Sharp guess, Samurai,” I muttered, moving to sit up a bit more. “More along the lines of how quiet it is in this house. It’s creeping me out.”

“What’s wrong with it being quiet? It was quiet on the castle at night.”

“I wore headphones to sleep remember? And where I’m from, it’s never quiet,” I commented, raising a hand to lightly bat his away. “I’ve got six siblings. Alejandro, Marco, Marisol, Elisa and Stella are the ones that lived in my house. Amrita is away at college.”

“Six?” Keith gaped in disbelief. “Isn’t that a lot?”

“Yup,” I smiled, thinking back to our multidimensional family. “Alejandro is the oldest but he works with my Papa at the Engineering Department for Space Aviation. Marco and Marisol are working on their Doctorates and Elisa had a baby young so she’s a stay at home mom. Stella and I were just a year apart so she hasn’t really decided what she’s gonna do but it has something to do with stars and Astrology last time I checked.”

“Wow,” Keith muttered, shaking his head. “That’s a lot of people in one house.”

“Yeah, it’s fun having that many people in one house when it’s the holidays but most days it’s just Stella, Elisa and I,” I responded, thinking back to our house the last year I was there. “Alejandro was engaged to this beautiful African girl, Nakris. She used to live in Uganda for most of her life and wasn’t used to the whole ‘Big Family’ thing. He decided it would be best to have his own house even though Mama was going to burst a blood vessel.”

“Why?”

“Mama believed all seven of us would live in the house when Papa retired,” I replied, twiddling my thumbs in my lap. “Marisol and Marco had to go away for their Doctorates and when I told her I was leaving for the Garrison, she wouldn’t stop crying. Thank God, Elisa got pregnant with Tyler or I’m sure she wouldn’t have let me leave.” Reminiscing back on the day Elisa told us she was pregnant, I remember her coming into my room crying. She didn’t want to be pregnant but she was excited to start a family of her own. She did a good job raising me since Mama had to take care of my brothers and sister. Stella and I were Eliza’s first kids in a way, I guess. “Tyler was only four months when I left for the Garrison.”

Keith let a moment of silence drift between us before he looked at me again. “That’s why you want to take care of Zoey so much? To feel more like a family?”

“I guess,” I answered, a smile growing on my face as I thought of the tiny Sephyr we would be taking care of tomorrow. “Anyway, it’s not like you hated her or anything. It should be fun.”

“Kids don’t like me,” he grumbled, standing up and moving to his side of the bed. Pulling himself under the covers, I watched him pout and cross his arms as he stared at the ceiling. “I didn’t have siblings or even cousins. At least, ones that I could have met and spoken to.”

“That sounds so...lonely,” I sighed, leaning back to lay just beside him. 

“It was really lonely,” he whispered, placing his hands above the sheets. I turned as best as I could to see his face and watch the pale glow of moonlight on flesh. He looked like an ephemeral ghost who’d taken over the body f a man. It was inhumanly beautiful,well, Keith wasn’t entirely Human. Even though I knew he was part Galra, I felt no need to separate the two. Keith was Human and Galra but he was Keith first and foremost. “When I left for the Garrison, my Father told me that I didn’t have to cling to him anymore. At first, I thought he was trying to get rid of me but later, I learned that it was because he wanted me to make my own path.”

“He was a good Father then,” I smiled, gazing up at the ceiling. 

“The best,” Keith chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “He taught me everything I know. How to Pilot, how to keep my bike regulated, which plants were edible and which weren’t, and-”

“He missed something, though,” I said, reaching over to push some fringe from his face. “He didn’t teach you how to cut your hair.”

“Shut up,” he grumbled, pushing me playfully. I chuckled with him as the smile on his face stayed, the curve of his lips and red on his cheeks making me take another second to watch his features. “He did teach me how to cut my hair, I just like my hair long.”

“How long are you gonna have it, Mullet? Princess level long or are we talking old school Coran?” 

“I don’t know,” he sighed, glancing over to me. “How long is acceptable for me to not look like a girl but lets me wait a few more months?”

“I guess when it’s french braidable, that’s when it gets too long,” I replied, carding my fingers through the fringe. I still couldn’t get over how soft it was or how many natural waves it had. “Stella used to say that she liked guys with long hair because they were either, Prince-types, Nerds or the Bad Boys.”

“I don’t fit into either of those categories,” he smirked, swatting my hand from his hair. 

“I don’t know, I think you could be a total bad boy.”

“No way.”

“No, no, no, hear me out,” I said, sitting up higher on the pillows. “You literally bombed a military outpost to save a friend, yelled at a Mechanical Space Lion in order to get it to work for you and you have that ‘I work alone’ vibe whenever you do anything. Not to mention you ride a hoverbike and prefer to pilot fast and reckless That’s stereotypical bad boy.”

“Maybe you’ve got a point there,” he noted, glancing over to me. “But you’ve definitely got the playboy thing down.”

“I am not a playboy!” I scoffed, pressing my hand to my heart in feigned hurt. 

“Yeah, you are, Lover Boy Lance,” he chuckled, patting me on my shoulder. “You flirt with every species you meet, you feel a need to show off when you don’t have to and you care more about your outer appearance than the normal guy.”

“Hold on, Desert Boy,” I said, attempting to defend myself. “What do you mean I don’t have to show off? Showing off is key in first impressions.”

“Not when you’re literally one of the best pilots in the universe,” he replied, running a hand through his hair. “You’re the second best pilot in Voltron, you rarely miss a shot and you can have a conversation with anyone no matter what species. I doubt you need to show off when you’re a pretty amazing guy already.”

I stared at Keith from my side of the bed, mouth wide open and words leaving me as I tried to think of a way to understand what Keith had just told me. We never really had the time for heart to heart conversations because of the Galra but that didn’t change the fact that he’d never really talked to me like this. Most of our conversations were about travelling and how to direct the mission. This was really unexpected.

I must have made Keith uncomfortable for Keith to see me staring at him. “Well, I mean, you’re still an idiot who doesn’t listen and flirts with anything that walks but everyone has to have a good point somewhere right?”

“Well, I flirt because that’s a better way to bridge the gap in conversation, especially with aliens I find attractive,” I blurted, ignoring the way his cheeks reddened a little.

“So everyone,” he joked, a smile on his lips. 

**I wish I could make that smile last forever.**

“And for a little add on, you use the same pick up line to start  every conversation.”

“And what’s that smart ass?” I grunted, crossing my good arm.

“‘The name’s Lance’,” he imitated, pointing finger guns in my direction before bursting into laughter. “And then you add some horrible line you get from the depths of awkward puberty.”

“It’s an introduction!”

“Not when you say a pick up line like ‘You look great and all but you know what would be a good accessory?’” He couldn’t control himself any longer as he burst into laughter, clutching his stomach with his arms. I laughed with him as he struggled to say the end of the pick up line. “Me!”

“That’s a good line!” I shouted, trying to defend myself. “It works sometimes too.”

“None of your pick up lines work, Lance,” he proclaimed, wiping tears from his eyes. “None.”

“Here, I’ve got one that should make you fall for me,” I said, my voice confident as I shuffled to face Keith. “Bet you’ll get embarrassed as soon as I’m done.”

“You’re on,” he smiled, sitting up to face me. “Give me your worst, I mean, best.”

“Okay, Do you have a bandaid because I keep falling for you,” I said, waggling my eyebrows in his direction but Keith kept a blank face.

“That was the worst line ever.”

“Okay, okay, how about this one,” I said, taking a deep breath. “‘Hey baby, why don’t you sit on my lap and we can talk about the first thing that pops up.’”

“That was just creepy and probably got you slapped in the past,” he said, shaking his head.

“I won’t tell you if you’re right,” I whispered, looking away from him.

“So you did get slapped,” he noted, moving to investigate his nails but I needed his attention on me.

“Alright, alright, you’re right, how about this one?” I replied, clearing my throat.“You know what’s beautiful?”

“What?”

“You,” I whispered, leaning forward just enough for our faces to be inches away. I could see the moment that his face bloomed red and he sputtered before saying.

“That was just as bad as the other ones,” he mumbled, looking away from me. He wasn’t very convincing either. “Maybe even worse.”

“You’re such a liar, you’re face is as red as my lion,” I chuckled, reaching to turn his face in my direction. I made the mistake of losing myself in the look on his face. The combination of his red cheeks and bright eyes made him look so innocent but those fireball violet eyes were burning alight. I wanted to fall in head first but I knew that would only get me in trouble. “I mean, that wasn’t even my best line.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he grumbled, the color starting to fade. “That was probably the best you could ever do.”

“I bet I can get you flustered with this one too,” I promised, leaning back on the bed. The challenge made the former Red Paladin perk up.

“Hit me.”

“Okay.” Clearing my throat, I focused my eyes on Keith’s before I whispered. “They say that the eyes are the window to the soul and I can see that beautiful violet fire in yours. Can I fall deeper?”

At first, I thought I completely failed but the next second Keith’s face was red and his arms were covering his face. 

“Keith?” I asked, my voice quivering a bit. “My man, you okay? It was only a joke.”

“A horrible one,” he mumbled, turning to face away from me. “I’m tired. Go to bed.”

“But...sure,” I sighed, melting further into the bed. “Goodnight, Keith!”

I immediately thought that he was asleep but in the midst of all of the silence, I heard the sheets shuffle and watched as Keith’s body moved lower into the sheets, mullet peaking over the covers. **“Night.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll are slacking on the comments my dudes. I literally head over to my YOI fic and they don't shut up but over here, ya'll are non existent.   
> AM I DOING A BAD JOB!  
> I'M A NEEDY TWENTY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS COMMENTS TO LIVE
> 
>  
> 
> Also, get ready because all of the cute pining is gonna go out the window in a few chs.
> 
> and additionally, I'm sorry for waiting so long to update. I've got shit going on with this fic and my YOI fic and my AOT fic and my new YOI Fantasy fic soooooo it's been stuff. I made a few chapters that have to be beta'd so updates should be back on schedule.
> 
>  
> 
> LOVE YOU GUYS!


	15. Chapter 15: Lance

Somehow, I had woken up before Keith.

That in itself was a miracle.

The Paladin usually woke up at the crack of before the crack of dawn but today, he was fast asleep. His usual cuddling behavior had, somehow, remedied itself and he was as far away as physically possible. It made last nights sleep a little colder than usual but I guess I’d have to deal. After his reaction yesterday, I thought he thought there was something changing in our relationship. We’ve never had conversations like yesterday and just the thought of us possibly having more like that made me feel warm inside. 

If I could pull just a little more about Keith with every conversation, there was a chance we could be really close friends.

With a bit of effort and groans, I was able to slide myself into my wheelchair and start my morning routine. Washing my face, moisturizing and brushing my teeth were the only parts of my regular routine I could follow. Since we hadn’t ordered anything on the bracelets catalog, we were at the mercy of what Malone and Ray gave us. Rolling into the kitchen, I grabbed a bowl of fruit from yesterday's snack and munched on that while waiting for Zoey to arrive.

  
  


Malone came around an hour after I woke up. 

The tiny Sephyr  was dressed in the cutest frilly dress blue dress I had ever seen while Malone was in a gown. It was red and low cut, a slit just above her knee making her look amazing. 

“Whoa,” I whistled, watching Malone hold the ends of her dress. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, placing Zoey into my lap. “The King likes us to dress well while meeting new families.”

“You didn’t dress up for Keith and I but I’ll let that slide,” I replied, tickling Zoey’s stomach. “Are you ready for a full day of Uncle Lance Fun Time!”

“Unki Wance!” She giggled, trying to fend off my good arm. “Unki Wance!”

“You are not her uncle though, Lance,” Malone said, placing a bag on the table. Tilting her head to the side a bit, she asked,“Wouldn’t it be better if she just called you Lance?”

“That’s what my little nephew called me so I don’t mind,” I retorted, placing Zoey on the floor. “I don’t mind and I don’t think Keith will either.”

“Keith will be the Uncle Keith too then?” 

“Unki Kitten!” Zoey shouted, making me jump. She stood walking over to me and looking me in the eye. “Unki Kitten? Unki Kitten!”

“He’s sleeping, noomsaki,” Malone answered, placing a kiss on Zoey’s forehead. “Be nice and quiet until he wakes up.”

“Unki Kitten,” she whined, moving to climb on my lap. She nestled her head under my neck and sighed. “Unki Kitten.”

“I know, he’ll wake up soon to play. I promise,” I smiled, rubbing her back as she snuggled closer to me. “Don’t worry.”

“You are quite good with children, Lance, you should probably have some of your own,” Malone smiled, placing her hand against the door. 

“I’m waaaaaay to young to worry about that,” I chuckled, nervously playing with Zoey’s pigtails. “And there really isn’t anyone that I would want to spend so much time with either.”

“I’m sure there’s a certain someone out there for you and they are probably very close,” she grinned, nodding in my direction. “I’m glad my daughter likes you, Lance. Thank you.”

“I’m glad she likes me too,” I whispered as I watched the little one fall asleep in my lap. Turning back to her mother, I said. “Oh, by the way. Are there any updates on the person that’s trying to kill us?”

“None yet,” she replied, looking down at her band. “But I have some of my best workers investigating and searching for leads. We will learn soon enough.”

“Thanks, Malone,” I muttered, looking back down at the innocent face of the little Sephyr girl that didn’t have a care in the world. I didn’t hear the door open and close as I lightly rocked her deeper into sleep. The sight of her sleeping face reminded me of when Tyler would sleep, eyebrows knit and lips parted. It was like she was dreaming about the creation of the world without knowing a single thing about it. Maybe that was being too philosophical when it came to little ones but being able to watch a kid sleep without a care in the world was something I hadn’t seen in  a long time. “Would you like to hear a song, little one?”

Of course she didn’t answer me but I still wanted to  ask.

“I know you want to hear you’re great Unki Wance sing you a song he used to sing to his other nephew, Tyler,” I whispered, shuffling her in my lap to a more comfortable position. “I promise I don’t suck. My Mama made me go to choir lessons and guitar right before swimming so I can hold a note.”

Clearing my throat, I began to sing the lullaby Eliza used to sing to us and I sang to Tyler

“ _A la nanita nana nanita ella, nanita ella_

_ Mi nina tiene sueno, bendito sea, bendito sea. _

_ A la nanita nana nanita ella, nanita ella _

_ Mi nina tiene sueno, bendito sea, bendito sea _

 

_ Fuentecita que corre, clara y sonora-               _ ”

 

I jumped at the sound of the door clicking behind me, the tink sounding more like a bomb going off than a shuffle. Turning my wheelchair, I was met with a disheveled Keith leaning against the door. His hair was up in every place and he had a line across his forehead from the pillow. Arms crossed and hips in line with the door frame, he looked at me with a soft smile on his face.

“You can keep singing,” he muttered, moving to the couch. “It was...nice, I mean, you have a nice voice.” 

“Thanks, she’s um, already asleep so it makes no sense anyway,” I muttered in embarrassment. “How’d you sleep?”

“Good, I guess,” he sighed, looking a little disappointed. “A little cold but bearable.”

I couldn’t tell him that it was because he didn’t cuddle.

It would kill the guy and make me admit that I knew he cuddled.

“Did you eat?” Keith asked, moving to inspect the fridge. 

“Yes, mom,” I smiled, moving Zoey to a more comfortable position. 

“Yeah, yeah, sorry for worrying about you,” he grumbled, choosing strawberries to eat. “We’re going to have to order more Human food soon. There isn’t much left.”

“I’ll get on it once she wakes up.”

“Here, let me grab her so you can do that now” he offered, lifting her up by her armpits and depositing her on the couch cushion. Once she looked comfortable, I started browsing the catalog for food. “Malone says that we earned some money from the fight so don’t be afraid to buy a lot and more variety.”

“So, candy, ice cream and toast, got it,” I chuckled, adding everything I could to the list. When it was time to check out, I let the locations do the rest. “Don’t worry, I bought you face cream.”

“What would I need face cream for?” 

“There’s gotta be something wrong with your face if you don’t grow hair on it,” I replied, matter-of-factly. “The cream might stimulate the hair.”

“Not everyone can grow facial hair, Lance,” he groaned, rubbing the side of his face for emphasis. “It just takes me longer.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I chuckled, stealing a strawberry from his bowl.

  
  
  


She was screaming. 

**Uncontrollably.**

The morning had gone nearly perfect. She had eaten, used the bathroom, even told us all about her scratches on her legs in her broken English. We only had two hours tops before her mom was going to show up and  she was having a blast with us earlier but of course Keith was horrible with kids and didn’t want to sit and play house with her.

“Why couldn’t you just be the mom like she wanted!” I shouted, covering my ears with one arm. “It’s one moment!”

“I’m not a girl!” 

“Use your imagination, stupid, she’s just a kid!” I grumbled, moving to pick up a doll. “Zoey stop crying, mija Uncle Kitten will play with you. He’ll be the mom.”

“UNKI KITTEN NO LIKE ZOEY ANYMORFS!” She screamed, pulling the ends of her pigtails.

“No, Unki Kitten likes Zoey a lot,” I retorted, glaring in Keith’s direction. “Tell her you like her.”

“Um, I do like, er, Zoey,” he muttered, barely audible against her screams.

“Louder, Mullet!”

“I LIKE ZOEY!” He shouted, immediately silencing the Sephyr. Zoey smiled and reached up for Keith to pick her up and he did like the good uncle he was. Holding her a little more comfortably than before, he sat her down in his lap and whispered something into her ear. The little one giggled before turning to me. “Go get him!”

“Go get, wha-ah! Stop it!” The toddler somehow found a way to tickle my sides enough for tears to fill my eyes. Her tiny fingers seemed to get every spot that tickled me the most and when I couldn’t breathe, I decided to pay her back. “Oh, that works both ways little one.” Grabbing her sides, I tickled her until she begged for me to stop. “No fair, Keith! You don’t have tickle spots.”

“Everyone has tickle spots,” he clarified, leaning back on the couch. “You’ll just never find mine.”

“That sounds like a challenge,” I smirked, looking over to him. He smirked before walking in my direction.

“It is,” he replied, picking up Zoey and placing her on the couch. “Now Zoey, it’s time for Uncle Lance to get some walking practice in. Do you want to watch?”

“YA!YA!” Zoey cheered, sticking her thumb in her mouth. “Unki Wance! UPPA!”

“You heard the girl, Lance,” he said, walking to stand by my wheelchair. “Up you go.”

“It’s not that easy,” I muttered, bracing a hand against the handlebars of my chair. I waited until Keith’s arms were under mine and pulled with all the strength on my good leg. Heaving up, I balanced on the one leg and held onto Keith with my good arm so I wouldn’t lean over too much. Leaning forward just a bit more, I tried to let my left leg hold some weight, only to feel an odd pinching, tightness I wasn’t used to. “It’s really uncomfortable.”

“It’s not going to get any better if we keep babying it,” he retorted, pulling my arm a bit so I would lean onto him more. “Hold on to me, I want to check something.”

Gripping his shoulder, I braced myself as he knelt completely in order to inspect my leg more. I had already changed into shorts and shirt that were comfortable for the house. My legs were bare enough for him to see the fading bruises and the largest one that was around my quad. Reaching around the back, he kneaded soft fingers into the back of my thigh, palms sending shivers down my spine. His warm fingers always felt so good against my skin that I was practically addicted to it. The more he massaged my muscles the more I wanted him to never stop.

“Are you cold?”

“Y-Yeah, a little bit,” I muttered, trying to hold back my next shiver. “It’s fine though, keep going.”

My impatience was known by most everyone on the team so for me to hold out this long without some kind of physical reaction was almost unbelievable. Keith’s hands were pressed so firmly against my leg that I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. The farther north his hands moved, the more uncomfortable I got. At one point his hand was held at my hip to keep me from moving too much.

“Okay, so your muscle is definitely looser than it was before,” he said, a small smile on his face. “I think you can walk a few steps without too much of a problem.”

“Perfect! I’m tired of being in a wheelchair,” I smiled, waiting for Keith to stand. When he did, he guided my hands to his shoulders which were meant to help me stay steady. Once I was comfortable on those sturdy shoulders, I took a tentative step forward. It was a weird feeling to walk again but it was familiar and exciting! After a few wobbly steps, Keith moved to be at arm's width. “Hey! Don’t move too fast.”

“You have to bend your knees more,” Keith instructed, moving back a little more as a wall came up. Turning me, he smiled. “There you go!”

“I’m already tired,” I whined, flopping my good arm down.

“It’s like teaching a toddler how to walk,” he chuckled, the gesture brightening those violet eyes. 

“Shut up!” I grumbled, teetering a bit. Now off balance, I almost fell forward but Keith’s hands held me up. “Thanks.”

“I can’t let you fall face first into the ground, that’s a side no alien toddler should see,” he joked, winking in Zoey’s direction. The little girl laughed and moved to stand beside me. She tried to help me walk too, making me nearly cry with how cute it was. “Alright, that’s enough for today.”

“No no, Lancey Lance, no no,” Zoey said, trying to stop me with her tiny hands. I lifted her up in one arm making the tiny child giggle.

“Thank you for worrying about me, Zoey,” I smiled, kissing her on the cheek. “You’re such a good friend.”

“Wow, you never say thank you when I worry about you,” Keith smirked, pulling my wheelchair to me. I slid into the seat, Zoey still in arm. 

“Maybe because I don’t appreciate your help,” I snickered, playing with Zoey’s pigtails. “And she’s ridiculously cute!”

“Damn, you're annoying,” he grumbled, nearly walking away but I grabbed for his arm and yanked him down to face me. I watched as his cheeks turned red and felt my own burn as I placed a soft kiss on his cheek before releasing his arm. The Paladin stood frozen for a moment as I found the spot on Zoey’s dress interesting.

“C-Consider yourself thanked,” I sputtered, moving my chair away from him as fast as I could. My embarrassment was nearly palpable as I took the toddler to the kitchen, not even daring to think about how soft Keith’s cheeks were or how I was only inches away from those red lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my followers who understand my crazy as hell schedule and still love reading this! You guys are fantastic as hell and I can't ask for better peoples! I hope you like the cutesy stuff! I feel like they'd just be a group of embarrassing feelings and weirdly important instances!!!  
> Thank you!


	16. Chapter 16: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late uploads guys it's been a crazy week and I'm finishing up another fic so I can focus on this one and tack on my next Victuuri fic and Klance fic.

**Lance Mcclain was very different than how I thought he was.**

When I thought that he was being frivolous and idiotic, it was usually to fill the empty space with sound. When everyone thought that he was goofing around, it was actually to lighten the mood. I had always assumed that he cared more about his image than anything else until I realized that his face creams and nightly routines reminded him of his sister, Stella, who’d made him use them while they were in elementary school. These small conversations that we had about seemingly nothing taught me more about Lance in the past few days than I had learned in months. I would never know how many Earth months we had been together but it felt like I had known Lance for years.

Once you battle alongside one another in near death experiences nearly every other day, it’s hard to think that it was only a few months together. Was it really possible to learn so much about a person you thought you knew so well in so little time? Evidently, Lance was making me doubt my initial thoughts.

Lance was an open book when it came to his emotions.

Everytime I touched him to massage the knots in his legs, I could feel his body getting warmer as he got flustered, beautiful red boiling up into his gorgeous tanned skin. When I walked around the house, shirtless and worked out in front of him, every chance I would look up, I knew Lance was staring at me right before he‘d look away. I couldn’t lie and say that I didn’t react to him either. When those dark blue eyes brightened when he laughed or when his mouth was covered in strawberry juice, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. 

It was like a natural reaction to smile at whatever Lance did. Even if what he did was completely stupid and didn’t make any sense. It became clear while I was holding Zoey and Lance was playing with her in my arms. We only had a few minutes before Malone was supposed to come and pick up the little Sephyr and if you asked me, I couldn’t be happier. Right then, Lance decided it would be a good idea to play favorites with her.

“Of course, Unki Wance is your favorite right, Zoey,” Lance smiled, blowing raspberries on her cheek. When the child giggled, he looked up to me with those bright eyes filled with laughter. “See, she likes me more.”

“But she didn’t call you Kitten when she first met you,” I challenged, letting the little one lean back against my chest. 

“That doesn’t mean she likes you more, we just think you're pretty,” he pouted, rubbing a finger against his cheek.

“We?”

“Zoey, I said, Zoey,” he flustered, looking back at Zoey as his face reddened. That was the face I liked the most. The one where he turned red and he said what was on his mind. My own cheeks felt a bit warmer than normal at him complimenting me.  “Anyway, shouldn’t our package be here by now?”

“I don’t think alien races have same day delivery, Lance,” I replied, handing him Zoey as I went to make a sandwich. “And if they did, it wouldn’t be in a few hours.”

And that’s when, of course, the doorbell rang. 

I didn’t look at Lance as I walked past him, knowing very well that he had a shit eating grin on his face. Opening the door, I found a metal box sitting on the front steps. I tried to find the delivery man to thank but knowing how efficient this planet was, I was sure they didn’t have real delivery men. The box wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be since it was filled with food but as I placed it on the kitchen counter, I heard Lance’s wheelchair pull up. 

“‘Alien races don’t have same day delivery’,” he mocked, making Zoey giggle. 

“Shut up,” I smirked, looking for an opening in the box. “How do I open this thing?”

“Oh, I read about that, it’s your band,” he answered, pressing his band to the outside of the box. The box dinged before the lid popped up nearly scaring me out of my shoes. “Pidge would freak out about this.”

I nodded as I pushed the lid off and looked at the contents. True to his word, Lance found all of the indulgences on the catalog. Organic ice cream, fresh fruit and even rice and meat. He’d found different types of seasoning too, even though more of them I didn’t know the names of. As I moved the food and different meats into the fridge, Lance began to pack up Zoey’s toys. As if she were reading our minds, Malone opened the door and walked inside. 

“Aw, where’s the gown?” Lance complained, waving his arm in the air. 

“I went home to change clothes since it seemed rather distracting,” she smiled, reaching out for Zoey. The little one immediately snuggled into her mother's neck and with a flick of her wrist, Malone tapped some information on her band. “I just sent the payment for watching over my child.”

“You didn’t have to pay us,” I commented, looking down at the beep on my band. “We weren’t necessarily doing anything.”

“Yeah, she’s family too,” Lance smiled, looking over to me. 

“It is to thank you for your help,” she smiled, glancing to the kitchen, she tilted her head. “What is that noise?”

“What noise?”

“Do you not hear the beeping from the kitchen?”

I turned my head to the kitchen and immediately froze as I looked at the box.

It can’t be…

Jumping some of Zoey’s toys, I grabbed the box off of the counter and ignored the toppling of fruit from the table. Clutching the box to my chest, I bolted through the door, blood thumping through my ears. Chucking it into the middle of the street, I watched it settle into the dust before looking for possible casualties in the street. Thankfully, no one was on the street but that didn’t stop me from running back into the house, throwing myself onto the couch.

“What was that for?” Lance asked, moving the knob of his chair forward as if he was going towards the door. I bolted upright as I tried to reach out for him but he was already too far.

“Don’t go to the door!”

“Why the hell not-”

**BOOM!**

The explosion shook the house as silver dust flew in, clouding my vision and causing everyone to scream from the shock. The sound echoed through the house making nearly every muscle in my body tense up as my senses were overloaded. A piercing noise filled the air around us and my eyes burned with all of the silver dust. I had found myself thrown to the floor and surrounded by debris as my hands reached for something to hold on to. Standing up, I tried to feel around the layout of the kitchen to find Lance and when my hand landed on the handles of his chair, I felt my ears begin to ring louder. 

He had to be okay.

He didn’t reach the door right?

Waving my hands over the space where he usually sat, my heart dropped at the emptiness I felt. 

He wasn’t there….

His body wasn’t-Did he get thrown? 

**Was I too late?**

I couldn’t open my mouth as fear thrummed through my entire body as the failure sunk in. It happened again and I couldn’t save him in time. I didn’t save him! He was- 

“k…...KE…….ith….keith….Keith are you okay? Keith? KEITH! Please be okay!” Lance shouted, grabbing for my hands. Lance’s chair had stood while Lance had thrown himself to the ground. The bars I held onto were bent and from what else I could feel, the tires were bent too. “Holy quiznak, Keith, buddy, are you okay? Why didn’t you answer!”

He was safe.

I couldn’t have imagined in my lifetime that the relief I felt would resonate so deeply inside me but at the same time I was angrier than I had ever been before.

“My ears hurt,” I groaned, reaching up to touch my ear. I felt warm liquid drip down my neck and knew that I had popped a blood vessel in my ear. “Are you okay? Are you hurt anymore?”

“I’m fine, the door blocked everything,” he replied, moving to a standing position. He wobbled a bit as he went to stand in front of me, face covered in sparkling silver dust. In all honesty, it made him look beautiful as he reached a hand up to wipe some blood from my face. His hand lingered as he planted a smile that made everything seem brighter. Squeezing my cheek a bit, he said. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I was worried with the bomb going on and-and, I couldn’t see you.”

“It’s okay, we’re okay,” I reassured him, holding his hand against my face. A frown grew as the events finally flash into my mind. “A bomb…”

There was a bomb in our shipment box. A bomb that could have nearly killed the both of us if Malone hadn’t heard the noise-

Malone and…...Zoey.

“Zoey! Malone! Malone? Where are you! Are you guys okay?”

“We are fine, Paladins,” she coughed, moving towards us as the dust cleared. Clutched in her chest was a shivering Zoey who had tears streaming down her face. A whimper came through her as she saw the blood on Lance and I’s faces. She was dusty and a little shaken but okay. Malone, however, had blood covering one side of her face. As Lance walked over to inspect her injuries, I looked around at the debris. “Unfortunately, the home is not fine.”

“How the hell did a bomb get shipped to us!” Lance shouted, waving his arms and nearly falling over. I chuckled at his clumsiness but the same question was resonating in my mind.

“That is something we will need to find out,” she replied, her face as close to a frown as I had ever seen before.

“Yeah.”

  
  
  
  


“......and immediate relocation needs to be authorized,” Malone ordered, looking around at the scene. “None of this should have happened under your watch.”

The bomb had made a crater in the street right outside of our house and after several minutes, a crew and the Bellterran equivalent of the police showed up. Many of our neighbors that investigated the sound of the crate landing had light injuries but they didn’t seem as worried as they should have been. I mean, a bomb went off in front of their homes. Shouldn’t they be inside or crying? At least a little worried. Malone took charge of the situation as soon as we left the now destroyed house. While she worked, we held onto Zoey who was fast asleep beside us.

Though my mind was buzzing and my ears had bled, I was far from tired or worried.

I was pissed off. 

Adrenaline had poured through my body and I was shaking for a fight. A nail was stuck between my teeth as the leather taste from my gloves filled my mouth. I was seconds away from trying to hunt down the delivery man and interrogate him in a not so ‘Paladin’ sort of way. He’s put my partner and my life in danger not to mention innocent people like Malone and Zoey. If anything had happened to Lance again, I didn’t know what I would have done. It’s easy to think that I would have injured too but that didn’t matter. 

Not now. 

Lance was different, of course. 

He was weirdly calm and even though he was probably in more pain then I was, he didn’t complain. He had the blood and dust wiped from his face by one of the officers and even had some salve over the cuts and some bruises. I didn’t let the officers apply it to me but I took the bottle and cleaned up myself. 

“I can’t believe someone tried to blow us up,” Lance mumbled, looking to the front of the house we were staying in. The glass had broken in the windows and all of the plants were gone. Sure, the door had protected us pretty well but it didn’t protect the roof or the walls. Whoever was trying to kill us was using high level stuff. “I mean, we’ve had attempts on our lives before but from the Galra, not regular people. Mierda. Who did we piss off?”

“We need to meet with the council members,” I retorted, helping Lance to lean on a nearby cruiser. His wheelchair had damaged wheels so he couldn’t use it as well as he wanted to. “Now.”

“That  won’t be much of a problem. Especially now,” Malone said, a small smile on her face. “The King has raised an alert of a criminal in Bellterr.”

“They didn’t raise an alarm before?” 

“Like I said, they didn’t believe me when I said it was a planned attack on you,” she sighed, closing her hands in front of her. “But I have official reign over the Justices now, so I can have you escorted and you will be immediately moved to one of our remote safe homes.”

“Remote? What’s more remote than the suburbs,” Lance pouted, rubbing his neck. “Why can’t we just call our team? If we leave, there won’t be any danger. Like how you and Zoey almost got hurt.”

“I agree with you completely but the King has shielded all communication in and out of Bellterr.”

“What!” I snapped, taking a dangerous step forward. Malone immediately sent her glare in my direction.

“It was not my choice, Keith,” she grumbled, her nostrils flaring but her face staying surprisingly neutral. “The King and two council members believe that screening communications between Bellterran people and their families around the universe would help find the perpetrators.”

“I’m sure if you’d find all of the Galra living on this planet, they’d tell you they were the ones trying to kill us!” I retorted, ignoring the pain in my back that had returned after the blast. “All Voltron members are hated by the Galra Empire! Any Galra would hate us.”

“The Galra here are free from the Empire’s rule,” she retorted. “They wouldn’t jeopardize the life they live here for a bit of revenge. They have no ill will towards you Paladin people.” Clearing her throat, she said. “And seeing as you are part Galra, I would think you would believe that some Galra are friendly.”

I didn’t answer her as Lance continued the conversation.

“Then who would be upset about us being here,” Lance pondered, kicking his legs out in front of him. They were littered with tiny scratches, probably from the explosion, and that only ticked me off even more.

“We will find out soon enough, Humans,” she sighed, nodding to Zoey in Lance’s arms. “Until then, you will be moved to an area that only Ray, the children, King and I know about. When it’s time to meet with the Council members, you will be escorted by Ray or I to a pod that will take you wherever you need to go.”

“So, we’re pretty much on house arrest,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest. “On a planet we don’t even trust with an assassin that’s trying to kill us and no way to contact our team.”

“Until it is safe or we have leads to your attacker,” she smiled, the sickeningly sweet grin back on her face. “But we have put some of the Earthly luxuries that humans seem to enjoy. There are the televisions and the machine that creates the popping corn food.”

“All I need is a ton of movies and we can make this seem like a date,” Lance joked, looking over to me with a wink. I felt my skin turn a little red but I refused to comment. “Or we would have a big party if Hunk and Pidge were here.”

“Right,” I mumbled, a bit awkwardly. “A party.”

“Well, I guess we can enjoy a little quiet while we’re on house arrest,” he muttered, watching the chaos of pods and officers moving around the wreckage. “Will Zoey still be able to visit us?”

“I doubt I could stop her,” Malone chuckled, covering her mouth delicately. “Oh, that reminds me.” Pausing to move to a bag near our old door, she opened it in front of us. Inside, were our clothes that we had come to Bellterr in. “I found these before but they had holes and tears so I had Ray repair them. They should be good as new.”

Lance laughed as he immediately ripped his ugly Army green jacket out, instantly shoving his face into the fabric. “Wow I missed these! It still smells like the castle detergent!”

“Weird,” I replied, reaching for my racer red jacket. Throwing it over my shoulder and pushing my arms through, I felt a little more at ease. At least this wasn’t destroyed in the fire. “Wait, our Bayards!”

“Safe and sound, they are being transported with some of the remaining things that weren’t destroyed or damaged too badly,” Malone explained, pointing to the crew that moved some debris in boxes. Walking in our general direction was one of the council members, Liz, no, Fall Leaf, not that either. His tanned skin was nearly sparkling and white hair was pulled into a comfortable braid. “Oh, Councilman Falhtelee! What a surprise.”

That was the name.

“It is isn’t it?” He chuckled, the sound deep and melodious.  “I wished we could have spoken on better terms but I was called to meet you as soon as possible.”

“Holy quiznak,” Lance whistled, slowly standing up straighter. I watched the Fat Lee guy appraise Lance with an amused smirk on his face that only made me want to punch him. Clearing his throat, Lance presented his right hand to the alien. “The name’s Lance. Lance Mcclain.”

“I have heard many things of the great Blue Paladin,” Falthelee smiled, shaking his hand. His hold on his hand lingered a bit too long for my taste but that only made Lance chuckle at the man more. “And of this Voltron Malone speaks of. Apparently, you are a Guardian of the Universe.”

“That I am and much more,” Lance smirked, rubbing the back of his head. “And my main man Keith here is our leader. Though he can’t do much without me there. You know, I’m his impulse control”

“Is that so?” The alien hummed, looking over to me for a moment before returning his gaze to Lance. “What is someone as beautiful as you, Lance, doing in an intergalactic war?”

That made Lance laugh in a not so attractive way as he looked to me, his smiling dimming a bit. Clearing his throat, he put on his best business face. “Not much actually. What I’d like to know Councilor Falthelee is-”

“Call me Lee,” Falthelee interrupted, running a hand through his hair that distracted Lance for a moment. “We will be getting more acquainted so Lee is preferred.”

“Okay, Lee, I have a few questions about why I’m still here,” he corrected, a blush growing on his cheeks. “Bellterr is beautiful and all but I’d like to get back to my lion.

“We’d like to,” I added, glaring at the alien.

“Yes, we, I meant we,” he adjusted, placing his hand on his hip. “Why are we still here?”

“I would love to answer some of your questions over dinner,” Lee proposed, waving a hand over his band. “If that’s something you’re okay with.”

Lance squeaked and I growled at Lee’s straightforwardness. 

“I mean, I don’t know, I have a lot of things that have to be done and you know, I just kind of blew up,” he rambled, looking over to me for a moment and just as I was about to say something, Lee grabbed Lance’s hand, placing a kiss against his fingertips. Lance immediately froze and stared at Lee like he had turned into a diamond.

“Please, Lance, the Blue Paladin of Voltron,” he hummed, searing those bluish green eyes into Lance’s. “I would be honored to sit at a table with such an experienced Human.”

“Experienced?” He whispered, looking down to his hand for a moment. “That depends on what you’re referring to.”

“Lance,” I warned, urging him to look to me. The man barely glanced my way before blinking off Lee’s comments. “Don’t we have some things to settle? Since we, you know, almost died.”

“An unfortunate accident, I’m sure,” Lee smiled, making me want to roundhouse kick him in the jaw.

“‘Unfortunate Accident’? That’s the second time in two weeks we’ve been setup to die ‘by accident’,” I snapped, stepping towards Lance. Reaching for Lance’s good shoulder, I tugged him gently in my direction. “Lance, we should go.”

“We should go, shouldn’t we?” Lance smiled, patting me aimlessly on the shoulder. “I will accept your invitation if Keith gets to go.”

“I don’t want to-” but Lee interrupted me.

“I would be honored to have the leader of Voltron join us as well,” he clapped, looking me dead in the eye as if I were unwanted. 

Jokes on him, since I really didn’t want to go either.

“It’s settled then,” Malone cheered, grabbing Lance by the arm and tugging. “They will be at your residence before the moons rise.”

“Perfect,” he replied, turning to leave but just as he was out of arm's reach, he turned to Lance. “I look forward to seeing you in the moons’ light, Lance Mcclain.”

“M-Me too!” He answered back, evening adding a cheesy wave. Lance watched the man walk away with a light flush on his face. I could feel myself seething with anger as I watched he and Malone gush over how ‘amazing’ Falthelee was and what a ‘gentleman’. I didn’t see the same allure those idiots did. He was just like every other pretty alien that had a little power. They use their words to get you caught up in their act. I didn’t feel bad for Lance, though. If the idiot wanted to get caught up into that aliens facade then he could go ahead. Those ridiculous flat blue eyes were nothing like Lance’s anyway. Lance’s eyes were a thousand times prettier and if you thought about it long enough-

“What the hell?” I muttered, running my hand through my fringe.

“Keith?” Lance questioned, hobbling over to stand by me. “What’s wrong? Are you dizzy?”

“No. It’s just...I don’t trust that guy.”

“Why not?”

“He’s too….I don’t know, fake, I guess,” I fumbled, using my hands a bit more than I should to explain. “He reminds me of those corrupt politicians back on Earth. All smiles and charm until they slither behind your back and stab you.”

“Says the man who invented stab first ask questions later,” he grumbled, crossing his arms. “You’re just jealous because he’s handsome.”

“That has nothing to do with logic-“

“Yes, it does,” he affirmed, turning away from me. “If he was ugly, you’d trust him in a heartbeat.”

“You know I could care less about appearances,” I sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“That’s pretty obvious,” he muttered. Snatching his shoulder back, he said,“Malone said the shuttle is ready for us.”

I had upset him and not in the playful kind of way

“Lance, I-”

“Save it,” he growled, hobbling off to a nearby pod.

“Fantastic job, Kogane,” I mumbled, looking down at my gloved hands. “You’re emotionally unstable  **and** paranoid. **Perfect combination.** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.......you guys were wondering about less fluff more zoom zoom so here we go......
> 
> Also, get ready for an Altean!Lance and Galra!Keith fic that I'm going to do soon. It'll be one chapter but it's gonna be long so it's gonna take a bit but I'm all ears, eyes, legs and left brain about it so expect more to come.


	17. Chapter 17: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HEWWO PEOPLE

To say I was a little confused was an understatement.

I knew that Falthelee was going to be a dazzling man up close but when I met him, I dove right in. 

**Hard.**

The guy was like a create your own Ken doll that I had made during my totally normal phase of experimentation. Those rippling muscles in his arms and strong waist were just waiting for me to run my hands over. Practically every inch of him that I could see were tanned and smooth, not to mention he had that exotic white hair that looked softer than air and reminded me of those awkward teen years watching Shiro practice on simulators. I knew that I was going to fall even harder if I went to dinner with him but having an intergalactic bone night stand that respected who I was, was making it worth it. 

Everything was perfect until stupid Keith gave me that look.

It was the furrowed eyebrows, upturned lower lip and those dark violet eyes staring me down that made me invite him too. I was sure he wouldn’t let me be alone anyway since I had just started walking and I couldn’t shoot my rifle with a broken elbow. Even though I was a little sore, I still had the dignity to dress up in one of the outfits that Ray made. It was a comfortable blue long sleeve with a gold collar and matching pants that were made of linen. Compared to my normal dress clothes, these were perfect. Except that Keith’s outfit was similar to mine only it was red with a black collar.

“I don’t want to match,” I whined, dropping down to my side of the bed. Our new apartment was more like a studio and definitely smaller than the house. It had a large bed, small kitchenette, tv, bathroom and two hanging rods for us to put our clothes on. The building had been abandoned several centuries ago and the street housed other older homes but it was still nice enough for us to live in. Malone promised us that the only people that lived around us were guards and that they were all people we could trust. We didn’t get a chance to meet with them but that was another day’s problem. Keith was still very apprehensive when we came to the new place. He wouldn’t let me come inside until he searched every nook and cranny for anything suspicious. It was kind of endearing but at the same time reminded me why he was so paranoid. Guy gets blown up once and immediately every place was dangerous!“Someone as handsome and sexy as I am should have a custom wardrobe.”

“Do you think I want to match with an idiot like you?” Keith grumbled back, tying his pants tight. They curved nicely around his slim hips but it was funny watching him try and tie a shoelace knot of them. “It’s not my fault I look better in these than you do.”

“No you don’t!” I scoffed, waving a glance over him. He crossed his arms, making the sleeves tighten around his arms and that only made him look better. “I-I always look better than you!”

“No need to argue, Paladins,” Malone chuckled, hopping off of the kitchen counter. “In Bellterr it is customary for Partners to match, so you will be matching as well. I’m sure you match with your other Partners, yes?”

“We do but it’s only because the Princess had outfits like that,” I retorted, running a hand through my hair. “If I had a choice, Keith would be wearing culottes and I’d be in a Batman outfit.”

“Batman?” Malone asked, but I ignored her as Keith let out a chuckle. It was weird having my heart flutter when he laughed but I had to ignore it as I reached for a comb. The perfect idea popped into my head as I snuck up behind the black haired Galra hybrid. Digging my shoulder into his spine, I tackled him onto the bed in one great huff.

“OOF! Lance? What the heck!” 

“I’ll finally get the chance to brush your horrible horse hair,” I chuckled, sitting comfortably on the base of his hips, rendering the guy helpless. Since he was on his belly, I didn’t have to worry about him maneuvering himself out of the way but that meant I couldn’t see if he was turning red or not. His embarrassed face was something you rarely saw but was worth so much more than all of the effort to get him to show it. That didn’t matter though, I got satisfaction from pissing him off too.

“I don’t have horse hair,” he huffed, blowing a piece of fringe out of his face. Chuckling a bit, I ran the comb through each tress, watching the waves stretch and the air fill with the scent of lavender shampoo and explosive powder. Somehow, it didn’t smell bad and it seemed like a perfect fit for Keith. As I combed all of the knots out and ran my hands through his hair, I felt Keith slowly unwind in front of me. The muscles in his shoulders were visible under the red shirt and my legs had tightened just around his waist that rippled under me with every movement. The soft tresses fell around his face and the more I combed through, the calmer I felt as well. Leaning down and pulling a strand of hair from his ear, I whispered,“You know, it’s surprising that I finally got to pin you down after so long.”

A yelp jumped from my chest as Keith turned his waist, toppling me onto my back and placing his hips against the back of my legs. Careful to not hurt my elbow, he barricaded my face and put his body flush against mine. I was immediately embarrassed at the position we were in, especially with the way my legs were tucked beneath his arms and ankles were loose around his lower back. Pressing his lips against my ear, his voice came out deep and smooth, he whispered, **“You’ll never be able to pin me, Lance. Not in your wildest dreams.”**

The husk of his voice made me shiver as I laid there breathless, heat dripping down my spine and burning trials through my core. From this angle, I could see the flecks of black in those violet eyes and the length of his lashes curling up nice and long. His hair had fallen around his neck and over his eyes, creating a shadow that perfectly complimented his skin. Strands laid feather light touches against my cheek as a smirk grew on that smug face of his. The distance between us was nearly nonexistent and if I leaned forward just a few more inches I could-

“If you are going to do the mating ritual,” she sighed, pulling her hair into a braid. “I will leave you be if so. Coitus shouldn’t seen by outsiders.”

“Ma-Whoa, no, I-we, what? No,” I stammered, pushing Keith as gently as possible. The Paladin sighed, slowly easing himself up into a restless stance. “Keith, tell her!”

“Hm,” was all he said as he moved to the bathroom and shut the door. 

Once he was gone, Malone chuckled. Walking over to the bed, she finished tying her braid and laid a soft blue hand against my lap. I sat up completely, feeling a conversation was brewing in the Sephyrs mind, even though I was sure it wasn’t one I wanted to have. “You and Keith are partners, yes?”

“Yeah, we’ve been partners for a while now. You know that,” I replied, fiddling with my nails in my lap. 

“Is Keith not physically attractive in Human eyes?”

“Ha, of course, I’m handsomer than Keith but I knew a ton of cadets at the Garrison that had a crush on him,” I answered, thinking back to the first time that I had noticed Keith. His hair wasn’t as long but he still had a mullet. It wasn’t per regulations but with how good he was and Shiro as his pseudo big brother, I doubted anyone would tell him to cut it. At the time, he hung around Shiro a lot and Takashi Shirogane was every scout, boy or girls, wet dream in person. I wouldn’t tell him to his face but I understood why everyone found him attractive. Those shoulders, that hair and that cute off balance smile was literally to die for. But Keith was different. He was every girl's dream ‘silent but strong’ type and the guys that did like him, liked him because he could kick their ass in almost everything. That’s what made me hate him so much. He literally didn’t have to do anything for people to like him so much. I had to do so much more to get their attention. “To be honest, I always thought he was a pretty good looking guy but why are you asking?”

“Is your friendship strong?”

“What friendship?” I chuckled, quickly learning that Malone wasn’t laughing along with me. “Okay, I’ll bite.”

“When you see Keith, do you worry about what he’s thinking? Are there moments that you look him in the face and you see the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? Or do you worry about how he sees you,” she prattled, picking at her braid as she spoke. Then turning to look me in the eye, she said. “Or when he was hurt, did you cry? When your skin touches his is it like fire burns in the pit of your stomach and you sometimes forget what to think?”

“I-I don’t understand what you’re trying to say,” I stammered, finding myself looking away from her. I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was more apparent now than when we were at the Castle. I guess it had to do with all of the free time we’ve had here but Keith and I only hung out every once in awhile. Now that Keith is around twenty four seven, I feel that weird uneasy feeling all over. Everytime he laughs, I want to laugh too. When he’s angry with me, I want to tease him so he can scrunch his nose. Just having all of Keith’s attention is enough for me to feel like I matter.  

“Keith is your Kima, or how do humans say it,” She pondered, pressing a nail against her lip. “Ah, he is your preferred love.”

Love.

Keith?

There was no way.

Those two words together in the same thought was just as unbelievable as me shaving my head.

It was normal for bros to like how their other bros skin felt against theirs. It was normal for friends to want to cuddled up to each other when it’s cold. There was no way that I wanted Keith’s love nevertheless the thought of him loving me back.

Keith loving me?

**Impossible.**

Right?

“I-I, you’ve got to have it wrong, Keith’s just a friend, I don’t think of him like-there’s no way, I’m sure of it,” I babbled but I could feel the truth setting in.

I liked Keith Kogane.

Not even the friend type like but the, want to kiss his stupid face type of like.

I knew deep down that it wasn’t normal to want to spend hours on end just staring at him. It wasn’t normal to marvel at how strong he was and wondering whether or not I could kick his ass just so he would notice me. Regular friends don’t think about how cute someone is when they eat a sour strawberry. I would never stare at Hunk’s butt while he did squats or tackle him just to get another moment of skin on skin contact. 

The way I felt for Keith was new and so different from how I felt about all of my other friends. Sure Shiro was attractive but when we stood next to each other during battle, I didn’t get all warm and tingly. When Keith destroyed a simulation or when he and I were back to back in the middle of battle and no rescue was near, I would feel Keith’s back warm against mine and I felt something.

It wasn’t admiration or hate or even disgust.

**It was safety.**

Keith made me feel safe and the more time I spent with him, the more I wanted to keep him safe. 

“A Kima is found when you feel like you don’t need them,” she sighed, a smile growing on her face. “They are there when you need them the most and even at times you wish they would just leave, you find yourself wanting them to come right back. They give you happiness unimaginable and also give you the sadness that breaks every piece of your hearts.”

“Is Ray your Kima?” I whispered, looking at her for a moment. 

“Kima’s are people that change your life for the better,” she explained, reaching a hand out to hold mine. “Has Keith changed yours? Have you changed his?”

That was a strong question to ask. 

If it weren’t for Keith’s stupid mullet head, I wouldn’t be flying across the galaxy right now. 

If he hadn’t been kicked out, we’d probably be on a satellite that only orbited Earth, never once seeing the other. The Galra would have come eventually and Voltron wouldn’t even exist. Not to mention, without Keith, I would probably be dead a hundred times over. He’s saved my ass more times than I could count and even when I thought the bastard couldn’t do more for me, he always found a way to say the right things when I felt too down. Hunk had tried to make me smile and Pidge had also done the same but no one stood before me and spoke to me like I wasn’t broken. No one walked up to me and shoved me so I could get out of my head. Keith was the only one that had seen a peek of my insides and didn’t hold back. He was fine with me being broken since he was too. When I wanted to leave and run back home to my family, he reminded me that the Universe needed me. 

Keith had transformed me into the Paladin, Friend, even Rival I was now. 

If that was what a Kima was, then Keith was definitely my Kima and I didn’t feel bad recognizing it.

“‘Keith’s my Kima,” I whispered, holding my hands in front of me. “Keith Kogane. My Kima…”

“I’m your what?” Keith grumbled, running a finger through his now pulled up hair. My mouth dropped open as I watched him pull bits of fringe out, just enough to encompass his face. He looked ridiculously handsome and I was finding myself a little uncomfortable letting other people see him like this, especially now. “That better not be a Sephyr curse word, Lance, or I swear-”

“It isn’t a curse word but used between partners-“

“It’s not in Sephyr,” I interrupted, glaring in Malone’s direction. She looked confused but she didn’t say anything further. 

“Then what is it?”

“Nothing, Mullet,” I snapped, standing up and heading for the door. I wasn’t exactly prepared to talk to Keith about how I felt. Not now. “Shouldn’t we be going? The suns are almost down.”

I didn’t wait for an answer as I practically ran to the door, trying to cover my face so I wouldn’t show my blush.

**The realization phase was seriously making me nervous.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My baby finally admitted he's in love! or at least Like!  
> GET READY FOR SHIT TO GO DOWN


	18. Chapter 18: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry, Sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so everything has been a wee bit crazy with the holidays creeping up on me like a snake on a rat......yeah I jsut said that....anyways.... I'm srry. It's been so wacky and I finally got to write a long chapter so here it is.

To say I wasn’t a little shaken by the revelation from Malone was the biggest lie I’d ever told myself, other than the time I doubted that I was bisexual. That day had been a scary one and Stella was right there with me when I told her I was attracted to a guy in my class. She smiled and laughed it off saying that she knew I liked it both ways because she caught me staring at a photo of Enrique Iglesias for longer than any heterosexual guy would. Stella was the reason that I told the rest of my family and they said that they already knew and didn’t care. As long as I didn’t get a girl pregnant and used protection if and when I did it with a guy, I was safe.

Keith was very different from a celebrity crush, though. He was attainable and I couldn’t wrap my mind around how I was supposed to go about courting him. Was I even going to do that? Maybe I should just keep wanting him and ignore my emotions. 

**Who’s to even say that Keith likes guys!**

Keith was a handsome guy and he could easily get a girl to fall into his lap any day. I’d seen him get all flustered when a girl flirted with him. He was obviously attracted to them…..

Trying my best to ignore Keith’s unfocused glances out of the window and Malone’s humming, I tried to lock away all thoughts about my now obvious attraction to Keith. 

It was hard pill to swallow.

Keith was important to me.

Not in the normal, comrade and fellow man in arms, sort of way, but the ‘I could spend a year telling you all of the things I like about you’, sort of way. Keith Kogane was an important part of my life. Without him, I wouldn’t be anywhere near space, nevertheless piloting a semi-magical space lion. As a Cargo pilot, I wouldn’t have left Earth. If Keith hadn’t been kicked out, I would have never had a shot at rocketing out into space. If Keith hadn’t made an explosion to distract the Garrison guards, we would have never saved Shiro. If Keith hadn’t discovered Blue, I wouldn’t have even become a Paladin. 

**Keith’s own life was so intertwined with mine that there wasn’t a moment that he hadn’t touched.**

Of course, this made me wonder if he noticed how much impact I had on him. If I hadn’t ran out to help him during the firefight to save Shiro, he probably wouldn’t have been able to get the leader onto his bike. If I didn’t follow Keith into that cave, we wouldn’t have found a way to open Blue up. If I hadn’t caught the Princess, who knows what would have happened, maybe some galactic interstellar war! I know that isn’t the greatest example but it just seemed like every which way we could possibly turn, Keith and I were there. Red and Blue. East and West. North and South. Even Human and Hybrid. We were so opposite but so necessary to each other. 

But that didn’t mean that Keith felt the same way I did. 

“We’ve arrived,” Malone smiled, opening the pod via button. She didn’t step out, though, as Keith and I stood outside the doors.

“You aren’t coming?” Keith asked, leaning in to look at her. My eyes trailed over the way his outfit laid against his muscles and it only made my face warm. 

Shaking my head, I tried to focus on the immaculate home out in front of us. It was one story tall and probably an entire parking lot long. With way too many windows and some strangely colored flowers, it reminded me of the everyday colonial houses around Santa Fe. Silver pillars covered in blue vines decorated the outside and standing near a delicately decorated table, was Falthelee or Lee. He was leaning back in a chair much larger than his body with thin gold glasses sitting on the bridge of his face and a pen stuck between perfect teeth. His eyes were set on a tablet in one hand and goblet in the other. 

“I was not invited,” she sighed, bowing her head before she left. As soon as she left, several servants scurried in our direction, pulling chairs out and moving place settings. The table could only fit four people and I was slotted to sit right across from Lee and Keith was to my right. Another servant arrived with silver bottles. Tipping it over, they filled our glasses with milky white liquid that smelled like roses. Majority of the food on the table looked almost edible. Blue colored fish was cut and grilled, pink slices of fried potatoes and purple pieces of lettuce were paired with yellow orbs that reminded me of tomatoes. All in all the entire table was just decorated like Falthelee was meeting with his weekly bridge club.

He hadn’t really paid much attention to us as we sat down and began to pick at the food on the table. Having lived off of fruits and sandwiches for the past month, seeing all of this food was making me hungry. As I began to devour the food and Keith just stared, Falthelee dragged his aquamarine eyes over Keith.

“I am glad you were able to join me, Lance,” he purred, turning back to me with a fluttered of his long, pale lashes. I stopped shoveling food into my mouth so I could breath without accidentally choking. He was too attractive for his own good and if Keith wasn’t right next to me, I’d fall right into those blue-green eyes of his.  “I hope it wasn’t a long pod ride.”

“It was….decent, I guess,” I answered, looking away from him for a moment. “Not as bad as the hospital.”

“Did you have to sit for long?”

“Not really, it was more like-”

“You already know we can’t tell you how long the trip here was,” Keith interrupted, keeping his head cool as he sniffed a glass on the table. Scrunching his nose in a sort of cute way, he slammed the glass onto the table. I jumped at his actions but Lee didn’t even flinch “Only the King, Malone, her family and our guards can know where we live.”

“Cautious as ever, aren’t you? I guess that is why you are the Leader of Voltron,” Lee charmed, trying to plant his gaze on Keith but it didn’t work. If anything, it seemed like Keith was angrier under his gaze. “You must protect every one of your partners equally.”

“I’m not the leader,” he responded, sitting up a little higher. This statement always made him uncomfortable and it was never something we talked about too much.  “I’m only the interim until Shiro bonds with Black again.”

“Is this Shiro another one of your partners?” 

“He isn’t really a partner,” I tried to explain, leaning forward a bit. Keith didn’t really look like he minded me answering the question before he did. “Shiro is the reason all of us are in space, I guess.”

“Space? Hm….I haven’t learned this Human word,” Lee muttered, pressing his thumb against his lip. “As a matter of fact, my Human language understanding is a bit rusty.”

“I really wouldn’t have guessed,” I chirped, reaching for something reminiscent of a bread roll but immediately dropping my arm as Keith glared at the food. “You speak almost like a normal human.”

“There are some information I lose in translation but I’m sure a more private lesson with you as my teacher would decrease that confusion,” he smirked, his gaze heavy and full of something dangerous. I squeaked, actually squeaked, in response. Keith, on the other hand, stared at Lee as if he had slapped him in public. When he looked back at me, I stared back, not really sure how to respond. I wasn’t really good at flirting with people that actually flirted back. I was more used to being slapped or pushed away by now but nothing like that was happening. I’m not a pervert but the more the person hated me, the more attracted I was to them. That probably explained why I wanted to jump Keith. 

“If this is all you’re planning to speak about while we’re here, we’re gonna go,” Keith grumbled, standing without touching a single piece of food. Even as I gaped in his direction, I nearly stood up with him. 

“Oh no, the dinner has just begun,” Lee waved, ushering for Keith to sit back down. “Allow me to show you.” Throwing himself into his seat, Keith huffed and crossed his arms. I caught the look in his eyes and recognized it as the one he would give me when we met with dignitaries. It was the ‘Handle this quickly, or else,’ look.

“What are we having?” I asked, as servants placed newer plates on our tables. I tried to lift the lid before one of the servants did but said servant swatted my hand away. 

“Since I discovered that you are Human, I suspected you’d want to have something a little more relevant to your culture,” he smiled, clapping his hands. The servants placed the plates in front of us with such grandeur that was seemingly unnecessary for what was on them. It was a simple cheeseburger with all the normal fix-ins i all the normal shades. It was cut in half so the insides were displayed and beside it were some steak fries. On Keith’s plate was something that reminded me of a cut ham that looked like it could fit on a Thanksgiving table. It was an odd color, almost completely black. The scent wasn’t any better as the smell of wet garbage and Keith raised a twitching eyebrow as he inspected the food.

“What the heck is this?” He asked, poking at it with a fork. “Can I even eat this!”

“That is the traditional Galivarian hind leg,” Lee smiled, his smile a little fiendish. “I heard that you’re part Galra and Galivarian is meant for celebrating friendships on Daibazaal. ”

“I don’t eat Galra food since I was brought up Human,” he replied, bluntly, putting his fork down. “Thanks.”

Picking up a fry, I placed it right in front of his mouth, waiting for him to snap at me but Keith shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth. As I pushed the fry into his mouth, he closed it with a moan, my fingertips just barely touching his lips. I felt my cheek turn red but I looked away as I ignored the warmth in my fingers. “I-I’ll just share my food with Keith. It’s not problem.”

“There’s no need, I can just have them make another-”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll eat some of Lance, I mean Lance’s,” Keith mumbled, stealing another fry to throw in his mouth. As soon as he finished, I offered him another and smiled when his lips were over my fingers again, this time almost covering the nail. He had to know what he was doing to me because a smug smile grew on his face as he continued to speak. “Anyway, you still haven’t told us why you invited us in the first place? I know we have to meet each Council member but you appeared awfully fast for someone who’s supposed to be tending to all of their duties as a Councilman.”

“If you didn’t know,” Lee started, re-crossing his legs. “I am in charge of the communications and aerial space of Bellterr.”

“You’re the eyes and ears.”

“Essentially,” he replied, turning to me. He winked before continuing, making my insides feel a little weird as I took a bite of my burger. It was surprisingly juicy and a perfect medium well. The cheese even tasted like the cheddar we would get during the summers in Varadero. “But since the communications have been interrupted since your arrival, I wanted to….investigate a little more.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Keith asked, reaching for one half of the burger. I growled at him a little but when I caught his glare, I looked away. He wasn’t in the mood to play around.

“The norm, I’d assume. Reading every communication, searching for inconsistencies,” he prattled, clapping again. Another servant arrived with three glasses filled with fluorescent purple liquid. “Now, enough of the work talk. That’s all I’ve been doing all of suns rise to suns setting. How about a celebratory drink? I promise it will be something you both enjoy!”

The servant placed the glasses in front of Keith, Lee and I with a bored look on their face. I sniffed at the drink for the usual signs of alcohol because contrary to everyone's belief, I didn’t like drinking it. Especially, on a planet I didn’t have Blue or Red on. To my surprise, it smelled just like Grape juice. 

“Is this Grape juice?” Keith grumbled, scrunching his nose. 

“I heard the juice of grapes is an aphrodisiac on Earth,” Lee smirked, sending a heady gaze in my direction. I froze under his eyes and felt like I was falling into them. I shook my head and turned to Keith who was fuming. It was oddly attractive to see his smug face burn red as he got heated over Falthelee flirting with me. It made me feel, just for a moment, that I was special to Keith.

“You-”

“Thank you!” I blurted, inadvertently cutting Keith off. From my peripheral, I could see him still as I raised my glass. “Cheers!”

“Cheers?” Lee asked, lifting his glass.

“Yeah, it’s what Humans say when they’re about to drink among friends,” I smiled, lifting my lips to the lid and watching as Lee did the same. He sipped the drink delicately before placing it on the table. Keith brought the drink to his lips only to chug it in several gulps. Both watched me take a few sips before putting it down. “Oh, it’s definitely fresh.”

“Is there something wrong with it?” Lee asked, tilting his head a bit. “Or has the aphrodisiac not reached your expectations.” Leaning forward on folded arms, a slick smile grew on his face. Licking his lips, he leered in my direction. “I was hoping that it would satisfy you enough to keep me company.”

“A-I-Oh, um,” I sputtered. A hand flashed out in front of me as Keith grabbed my glass and chugged it as well. “Hey!”

“No aphrodisiacs for Lance,” he growled, sending a glare in Lee’s direction.

“And it’s okay for you!” 

Lee didn’t look the least off put as he leaned back in his seat. Raising his legs to sit on the table, Falthelee showed off his toned legs in a dominating manner. It would have been alluring if he wasn’t looking at Keith like he was going to perform a song and dance. That’s when I noticed that Keith was swaying.

**“Keith?”**

His head nearly slammed onto the table if I hadn’t reached out and caught it. **“Keith!”** His skin was burning hot and sweat had already started to drip from his scalp as he huffed warm breaths against my arm. “What did you do to him!What was in that? **Keith!** ”

“I’m glad the Demari poison still works on Galra. Even halfers like him,” Lee responded, picking a bit at his nails. “I’ll have to keep that in mind for later.”

“Why would you poison Keith! You were the one who invited us!”

“So you would have to tell me the truth,” he answered, glancing up at me. Returning to his nails, he picked at a ring on his finger. “You are mates after all. It’s your nature to protect the ones you care about.”

“Keith and I aren’t mates,” I grumbled, reaching for my Bayard. “We’re just friends who work together. If you wanted answers, you should have just asked! We would have answered truthfully!”

“I know Keith isn’t just a friend to you,” Lee hummed, looking to a servant. The servant brought a small bottle shaped like a wine glass. Pouring some into Lee’s glass, Lee continued. “If he were just a friend, Malone wouldn’t have brought you here.”

“What?”

“Do you really want to waste time like this?” Lee yawned, looking at his band. “There isn’t much time before Keith will reach an overheating level that could burn his senses and melt his insides. You wouldn’t want that, now would you?”

I looked down at Keith’s unconscious body and saw that his hair was nearly drenched with sweat. Small whimpers escaped his lips as his arms shook under the heat in his body. His skin was flushed red and I could see his skin was getting a horrible yellow sheen. Moving my hand from my Bayard, I stared Falthelee down. “Ask whatever you want.”

“Perfect,” he chuckled, sitting upright. “Now, you say you are Paladins of Voltron. What does that mean?”

“Paladins are the Defenders of the Universe. We fight the Galra Empire to create a free Galaxy. Only Paladins can pilot the Voltron Lions and only the Lions can choose their pilot,” I answered.

“If these Voltron Lions are even real, why haven’t I seen them in ancient texts?”

“The Lions were scattered around the universe after the Galra Empire decided to attack Altea. It’s been over 10,000 years since they were first activated,” I explained, pressing a hand against Keith’s temple. He sighed under my hand, probably because my hand was cooler than he was. “When the Galra decided to steal Voltron, the Lions called Keith through a telepathic bond and long story short, we made it here.”

“Why are you on my planet?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why are you here?” He said, his voice stern and his face emotionless. “With your coming here, Bellterr has had its first assassination attempt, faulty equipment failure and enough universal communication attempts than it’s had in deca-phoebs.” Nodding his head to Keith he continued. “Our universe has officially been visited by several Galra Empire drones for the first time since the creation of Bellterr. Though our planet is in the center of the Universe, it’s a sign that something has changed. That change possibly being you.”

**There was no way!**

How could the Galra find us before Shiro or Allura did. Unless they weren’t really looking for us….That’s impossible. They can’t form Voltron without Keith and I and we’ve been gone for nearly a month. There had to be another reason that the Galra Empire was creeping their way through the Galaxy without someone to stop them. If anything, they were after more forced allies to fight Voltron.

“I-I don’t know,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders. “The Galra were bound to come here. They’ve been all over the Galaxy! Our coming here has nothing to do with that and you know it!”

“You just told me that you fight the Galra single handedly,” he frowned, taking a breath. “That would mean that they are after you. Or at the very least after their Galra halfbreed.”

“They don’t want Keith,” I growled, taking a possessive step forward. I didn’t like where this guy's mind was headed and the more he spoke, the more fooled I felt. Just moment ago, I was all into his flirting and the way he made Keith frustrated was just perfect. If I had known he was going to turn on us like this, I wouldn’t have even spoken to him in the first place. Keith was kind of sort of right about all of the people here in Bellterr. We can’t trust everyone, only the ones that had proven themselves. My eyes fell upon Lee as he internalized the information I gave him. The longer he took, the longer Keith was suffering and that was starting to piss me off.

“What the hell else do you want me to talk about! I told you the truth!”

“Why should I believe you?”

“We didn’t even want to come to this damn planet!” I shouted, slamming my hand against the table. Lee didn’t look the least bit fazed as I continued. “We just want to go back to our castle and fight the Galra and run around the stupid training ground! I don’t deserve this! Keith doesn’t deserve this…..”

Lee didn’t respond as he took another sip of his drink. His casual behavior was irritating and I wanted to throw something at him from across the table but I knew that wouldn't help Keith any bit.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I believe you.”

“Really,” I perked, looking down to Keith. I could feel the tensions leaving my body. “Thank you! Can you give Keith the antidote now?” 

Lee nodded and a servant came, a small piece of plastic in his hands. Pulling a piece of adhesive off of it, he placed the sticker against Keith’s exposed wrist. Immediately, Keith sighed in relief, his skin cooling and color returning to his face. “It will take about a day for him to return to normal, though there will be some side effects I can’t predict.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, brushing some of Keith’s stuck fringe from his forehead. 

“Now, there is something you must do for me.”

“Haven’t I done enough?”

“Yes, but there is much more that needs to be done,” he grumbled, tilting his head toward Keith. “You said that you and Keith aren’t mates, correct?”

“.....yes,” I muttered, looking down to the man in question.

“And you both aren’t having sex, molecularly or emotionally?”

“What! Uhm-a, no,” I sputtered, trying to stay professional. “We aren’t like that.”

“Then there is a problem,” he sighed.

You’re telling me….

“Why is there a problem?”

“Bellterr is a land created to elongate the survival of certain species around the Galaxy that could possibly go extinct,” Lee explained, fiddling with his earring. “If you and Keith aren’t in a relationship that can produce offspring, it may pose a problem.” Scratching the back of his neck, he continued speaking, even though my jaw had already hit the floor. “If you and Keith aren’t mates, do you have a relationship that could produce offspring? Even if it may be casual?”

**“WHAT EVEN!”** I shrieked, startling Keith. He didn’t wake up but that didn’t stop me from freaking out. “Of course not! Keith and I are both guys!”

“Guys? Do you mean that you can’t change from a breeding body to a carrying body?”

“A carrying-what the hell! No!” My heart was beating a mile a minute as I tried to not freak out too bad but every nerve in my body was starting to make my stomach tingle.

“It’s worse than I feared,” he mumbled, now nibbling at his nail.

“Why?”

“If you were brought here to breed and you can’t breed, other Bellterrans will assume you are the enemy automatically,” Lee answered, huffing a breath in my direction. “I understand you don’t want to stay in Bellterr but you have to stay long enough for your assassin to be apprehended and communications to be re-opened..”

“What do you want me to do about that? You’re the com leader,” I groaned, throwing myself into my chair. “Humans of the same gender can’t have kids with each other and even if we could, Keith wouldn’t do that with me.”

Falthelee didn’t answer as he quirked an eyebrow in my direction.

“What do you want me to do! It’s not like we could fake a relationship and hope that no one notices!”

**Shit…..**

That didn’t come…

“Wait! Don’t you even-”

“That’s a brilliant idea,” Lee whispered, pulling up a page on his band. Fiddling with a few screens, he finished and stood, turning to one of the servants. He spoke quickly in a language I didn’t recognize and faster than I had heard anyone else speak. That didn’t mean he couldn’t hear me so I tried to influence his decision.

“It’s a horrible idea, Lee! Completely horrible! Don’t listen to me, I’m not the plan guy,” I urged, walking over to Lee. “ Falthelee! I’ve never been the plan guy!”

Lee waved a hand in my direction.

“-I’ll have the tablets changed so information on Humans and their offspring is in line with our agreement,” he muttered, turning his band over again. He began to type up a list as he continued to speak. “After that, I can add certain things so you aren’t suspected and as long as you comply, the plan should go smoothly.”

“What are you doing, Lee?” I moaned, too tired of trying to get his attention. “You obviously aren’t listening to me, like most everyone else does, but I guess I can’t complain…..”

“Lance,you will stage a relationship to stall the Bellterran citizens and the King,” he explained, a smile growing on his face. I tried not to groan as he continued to explain everything to me. “While you make public appearances of affection, we can study your surroundings and find the assassins!”

“That makes no sense…”

“It makes perfect sense,” he chuckled, finishing off his glass. He looked like he was having fun, his eyes sparkling as he tacked a few things onto the tab on the table. “The more convincing your relationship with Keith, the more favor you receive with the King and the less Bellterrans hate you.”

“Wait, we’re hated?” I jumped, my eyes darting between Keith and Lee. “The mullet hasn’t done anything to piss of our neighbors and I, being the amazing man I am, haven’t done anything either. So how are we hated?”

“Yes, because you haven’t made any appearances as Champions and haven’t shown signs of ‘affection’ in public, though I’m sure arguing is the Human way of showing affection,” he explained, a snide smirk on his lips. “But that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that everyone thinks you are utterly committed to one another and soon the King will meet with you and ask you about the plans for your offspring.”

“Ay dios mio! How many times do I have to tell you that Keith and I can’t have kids! We aren’t even in the type of relationship that could, you know, have s-sex,” I retorted, feeling my neck burn.

“I think that's minimizing your feelings for one another a bit dramatically, Lance,” he muttered, looking at the passed out Paladin. “He was very hostile with me when I flirted for your attention and he didn’t like me touching you. Not to mention his obvious reaction towards the aphrodisiac.”

“S-so you admit you flirted with me,” I smirked, earning myself a small victory.

“Yes, but only to get your attention and to see the strength of your relationship with Keith,” he answered, scrunching his nose. “I don’t like Humans. The fact that you age into wrinkles is disturbing, not to mention your short lives, uh.”

“Hey! Not all of us can look flawless until they turn eighty,” I retorted, crossing my arms. “And you can’t talk. You look like you're twenty-five, which is as old as Shiro. Much older than me.”

“In human years, I’m four thousand seven hundred and sixty two years old,” he replied in a monotone voice. “Nearly three hundred times older than you.”

**“WHAT!”** I squawked, running my hand through my hair. “Oh, no, I flirted with an old man.”

“Nevertheless, my age doesn’t matter,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Keith’s affections towards you are mutual, believe me. All you have to do is work towards it and the plan will move forward.”

“If you haven’t noticed, Keith doesn’t like it when I’m ‘affectionate’,” I said, nibbling on my lower lip. “He is as affectionate as a cactus and if he wanted to be, he wouldn’t tell me. It’s more likely he’d do that with Shiro.”

“Shiro?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s too long of a story,” I mumbled, suddenly feeling really insecure. “Our relationship isn’t going to produce anything anyway. This is going to fail before it even starts.”

“Humans are so ignorant and complicated creatures,” he grumbled, moving to stand just beside me. Reaching a tanned hand up to my cheek, he stared me down with those dark blue orbs. I swallowed hard as he ran a soft thumb against my cheek and over my lower lip, pulling my lip down to expose my teeth as if he was figuring out where everything attached. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against mine in the softest touch, the wet drag of his tongue surprising me. A gasp escaped as I stood frozen under him, skin crawling at the touch. He didn’t move much, just pressed his lips against mine and shifted his position every few moments. For some reason, this didn’t feel good. It felt like I was doing something that was completely forbidden or even wrong. When he pulled away, I felt like rubbing my lips raw. When he saw the look on my face, he smirked. “How did that feel to you?”

“I-uh, I don’t know,” I stammered, looking everywhere but at him. I had kissed a guy before, right when I learned that I was bi but that didn’t feel as wrong as it had with Lee. “I can’t really, um…”

“Tell the truth, Lance, it disgusted you. I won’t be offended,” he chuckled, wiping his lip on his forearm. “To be honest, it felt gross as well.”

“Hey!”

“It has nothing to do with your current physical form or attitude,” he retorted, eyes trailing down my body. “You are very attractive and I wouldn’t mind mounting you if it weren’t for the fact that I’m already in love. Therefore, I have no need for the affection of another person nor do I want it.”

“M-Mount-I don’t know if I want to be offended or charmed,” I mumbled, looking to him. “Anyway, I don’t see the point in kissing me. It just felt really weird and unnecessary. Especially since you haven’t asked me on a date yet.”

“You are physically attracted to me, Lance, I already know that but when I kiss you, you don’t feel anything but disgust,” he answered, smiling softly. “When Keith kisses you, and he will, you will feel something with so much more substance that you’ll know. And he will know too. That’s why I believe so strongly in you both having similar affections.”

**Similar Affections?**

This guy was filled with nothing. Keith wouldn’t kiss me. He wasn’t the type to do that. They guy liked hugs but wouldn’t dare initiate one. It was like he was bred to be a killer with no emotions other than fight and cut. I knew Keith could turn into someone normal if we weren’t in an intergalactic war but that was another problem for another day. 

I couldn’t lie, I wanted Keith to kiss me. I wanted those slightly chapped, smart-ass remarking pair of lips on mine. He was the only one who could keep up with my antics and return the banter that left everyone else speechless or unamused. I already admitted that I had a crush on him and that I wouldn’t mind to kiss him but was I really ready for acting like a couple outside? I’m sure if I told Keith that it was for a mission, he’d fight for a moment but would agree once he got over the initial discomfort.

I don’t even know, the dude was unpredictable.

“So does that mean, you know, that we have to do this in public? In front of other people?”

“Enough!” He shouted back, a frown on his face. “You nor I have the time for counseling sessions on the subject. You will find a way through this without my help. I’m sure you’ve been courted before and can reflect on those decisions in order to comply with the task at hand..”

“Hey man, I’m sorry I’m being needy but,” I scoffed, looking down at the dozing Black Paladin. “I’ve just never, you know…”

“Had intercourse,” he submitted, a smug smile on his face. “Humans are worse than I thought.”

“What?”

“Llaveans like myself have to have intercourse with at least fifty other Llaveans before we can pick our mate,” he admitted, searching up something on his tablet. He said it like he was explaining the dinner plans for a picnic.

“Is sex really that important or, I mean, that easy?” 

“It is, since Llaveans mate for life,” he replied, glancing up at me. “I had over two hundred partners when I met my mate and he had more than I did.”

“He?”

“Llaveans can breed as well as carry,” Lee answered. “But that’s beside the point. The plan is simple. Create a relationship that will earn the favor of the people in order to limit the amount of Bellterrans that have a stake on your life. Once they are apprehended, the King will meet with you to speak about offspring thus reopening the communications on Bellterr. With that, you’ll be free to return home.”

“Easy peasy,” I mumbled, a blush running up my face. “That’s so simple sounding.”

“A little more than that but I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” he mumbled. “Remember. The quicker you show your commitment, the quicker the assassin appears and the quicker you can leave.” Then signaling to Keith he said. “Oh and don’t mention that this is all a part of a plan to Keith.”

“Why?”

“If it leaks out that this was a planned event or that I had anything to do with it, our information links will be immediately broken apart,” he explained, snapping his attention in my direction. “I can’t risk the lives of my guards, technicians and informants for just you. If the King finds out that I tried to trick them or even assisted in someone’s escape, I will be killed and so will you.”

“So, no pressure?” I gulped, looking down to Keith. “He’s not going to like that. He likes being in control.”

“I’m sure you’ve kept more secrets than just this from him.” he replied, matter of factly. “Now, for you to return to your safe house. I’ve already contacted Malone.”

Lee began to type again on his tablet before I reached out to hesitantly touch his finger. 

“Um, Lee, do I tell Keith that he was drugged?”

“Yes,” he said, thoughtfully. “Add in more details to strengthen his hatred for me, though. That should be enough fuel for him to speed up the process.”

I gaped at the man a final time before realizing that he was just built that way.

“You are a calculating asshole you know,” I whispered, not meaning for him to hear. He did, of course, and smiled in my direction.

“I believe asshole is derogatory in Human language,” he chuckled, humorlessly. “My mate says the same thing. Has said so for thousands of years.”

“Well, he’s right,” I regarded, leaning down to press a hand against Keith’s face. He looked so calm and compliant when he was sleeping, or was it drugged? It didn’t really matter what it was since from this moment forward, I was going to have to learn how to fake a relationship with a guy I want to have a relationship with and hope that my feelings don’t look too real or he’ll get grossed out……

**Simple enough right?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me honestly....should I stop writing this? It's just taking a long time to get everything tacked together and I love KLANCE but I'm nearly done with my Victuuri fic Zills and I want to write another Victuuri fic called Warm which is a Supernatural fic not to mention I want to write a one-shot on Klance that will be the usual Altean Prince!Lance and BOA Guard!Keith but there are so many ideas and so little time with finals coming and GAHHHHHHH I don't know.....just ugh.......


	19. Chapter 19: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know all of you hate me right now....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry but I warned you guys! I have two other fics that I'm super into and I love my little Klance babies but I've gotten to the part where I can't just vomit out stuff without a structure and I need time to create that structure. It's finals month so it should be a little easier but mark my words!  
> I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS FIC!

The trip back was uneventful. Especially since Keith was still knocked out in the pod and the pod was pretty much on autopilot. Malone laid his head against my lap and I couldn’t lie and say that that didn’t make me a little queasy. I didn’t mean like motion sickness, I mean like I was on a roller coaster that warned me that I will  get sick and being the idiot I was, I still jumped on. 

The plan was pretty simple on paper.

 

**Step One: Get in a relationship with Keith**

**Step Two: PDA like you mean it**

**Step Three: Get the Bellterr People to like you**

**Step Four: Get the King to like you**

**Step Five-ish: Kill Assassin**

**Step Six: Go home.**

 

To be frank, I really just wanted to skip all of the steps before three since that meant seducing the one guy that I was sure hated my guts and didn’t want me within ten feet of him. I had already come to terms with the fact that I was attracted both physically and emotionally to the mullet wearing idiot but that only happened a few hours ago! Not to mention, I had realized this while he was pinning me down to a bed. Who’s to say that I didn’t just have a hormonal imbalance that made me like perfect skinned, fluffy haired and smug fighter pilots? Or maybe, I just liked the way his jeans fell low on his waist or when he passed the maze and gave me a high five and I could feel the warmth through his stupid fingerless gloves?

Yeah….

That wasn’t right.

I liked Keith.

Plain and Simple.

The problem came when I needed to know whether Keith liked me.

If I told him that this was part of a mission, he’d do it in a heartbeat. 

He was always about the mission.

**That’s kind of what I liked about him.**

**His determination.**

I’m sure I could twist some words in a way that would make him believe me but I didn’t want our relationship to built on that. I wanted to actually date Keith and wanted to do the normal couple things that would warm my heart the longer we stayed together. I knew that if he faked this with me, that when we went back home, everything would be back to how it was before. He wouldn’t look in my direction unless he needed someone to joke about or needed a third opinion. Since Shiro was back, I wouldn’t be his second anymore. Hell, I may not even be his third anymore!

There was nothing I wanted more right now than to have Keith look at me the way I looked at him. I wanted him to feel the way I felt about him and see that there was so much more to me than just flirting and shooting. I wasn’t as confident as I made it seem and I was certain there was something in the way he looked at me. It wasn’t hatred or condemnation, but something warm.

**Was I really ready for that?**

  
  


We arrived back at the safehouse with the stars out in full bloom. I knew that when Keith was back to normal that we would have to come outside and just bask in it’s light. It would be something that neither one of us would ever forget. Malone, though small, lifted Keith over her shoulder and placed him on the bed as gently as she could. Since I couldn’t lift him, I compensated by throwing a blanket over his drifting form. Nodding a goodbye, she shut the door and punched in the code to lock us in. 

It was deafeningly silent for a few moments before I heard the bed creaked. 

Turning, I found Keith sitting up like he had been there all along. The only difference was that his face was red and his hand was tussling those pitch black locks out of place. 

“Wha happin?”

“What?” I chuckled, flopping down on the bed beside him.

“You hur meeee,” he groaned, pressing his hand against his eyes. “Whaappin?”

“You honestly sound drunk right now,” I smirked, pressing a hand against his cheek. He was still really hot but not as bad as he was before. “You drank too much grape juice that was filled with poison. You may want to take a nap.”

“Poison!” He jumped, the dull look on his face immediately gone as he became more aware. “That ass poisoned me.”

“That he did,” I muttered, pointing to the patch. “But I got that patch on you just in time.”

“Are you okay!” He shouted, a bit louder than I’m sure he intended but his concern warmed my heart.

“I’m fine,” I reassured him, winking to watch him turn a little redder. “It was Galra specific.”

“How’d he do wit?”

“Um..” I didn’t know how to explain to him. Falthelee said I should spice up what happened to make Keith jealous but I wasn’t one to rag on another person, especially if it wasn’t true. Maybe if I used one of the gossips stories I had read in tabloids, I could make this work. “Well, Lee wanted me all to himself and thought that if he killed you, he could have me.”

“What!” He snapped, trying to stand only to fall back form weak legs. “Why would he-What did I? Did he do anything to you?”

“Well, he did kiss me,” I answered. It wasn’t a lie but it felt like I had done something wrong. “And he told me that he’d, you know...so I guess he did do something.”

“I swear I’m going to kill the guy when I see him again,” he growled, slamming a hand against the blanket. “That’s just all forms of wrong! Especially since we just met the guy. Fucking bastard!”

“Well, he had good reason, apparently,” I mumbled, side eyeing Keith as he slowly turned to me. “I know rape isn’t a good reason but he just thought something, that’s all.”

“What?”

“H-He, uh, brought to my attention that you and I aren’t, you know, together,” I said, trying my best to ease into this conversation.

“I’m not getting what you’re trying to say,” he replied, his voice slow as he tried to think up a logical answer. “We are together. We haven’t left each other's sides since the battle.”

“No, you adorable idiot,” I whined, hoping the adorable flew over his head. Thankfully, it did as I continued to speak. “He means like we aren’t together together! Like boyfriends!”

“Why would we be boyfriend and...um, boyfriend?” He asked, his nose scrunching up a bit and his eyes darting across the room. I didn’t know if that was a sign that he was embarrassed or grossed out but this was going to have to do for now. “We don’t act like we are.”

“In Bellterr, only couples are brought to fight and become citizens and all that jazz,” I explained, throwing myself against a pillow. “Bellterr’s main reason for existing is to host couples. Exclusive couples too. The King wants them to come here for, um, sex and babies and stuff.”

“S-Sex! BABIES!”

“SHHHHH,” I hushed, pressing a hand against his mouth. “Do you want to raise an alarm and make people think we’re getting attacked?”

“I-I, sorry….” he muffled, the sound nearly drowned out by my hand. I lifted my hands away from his face as soon as he was quieter. “That’s just crazy. Two guys can’t have kids. It’s just not possible. That idiot was just using some crazy excuse to be with you.”

“Look, he thought I was single and available or at least not in a committed relationship with you,” I replied, scratching the back of my neck as I tried to slip in only the most important information. “I told him we were together and committed so he would back off.”

“You told him what!” Keith hissed, his hand reaching for mine. My eyes fell to his burning skin pressed against mine as he continued to growl. I guess he didn’t really notice that he was holding onto me or that his touch was softer than he intended. “How could you do that? What if he believed you? Oh no, what if he tells someone!”

“You should be thanking me for doing that,” I retorted, thinking this was the best time to explain. “If you come to Bellterr without a mate or boyfriend or whatever, they have the right to kill you! If they even think you aren’t together, they can kill us! The whole reason for Bellterr is to save endangered species of aliens all over the galaxy! ”

I watched as he processed this information, hoping and praying he would believe me. I wasn’t lying or telling tales but that didn’t change the fact that he had to at least think all of this was bullshit on a stick. The rebellious part of me wanted him to try and fight me on it but the rest just wanted this conversation to be over. I could see him struggling internally and I knew that that only meant he wasn’t at all attracted to me and I had misunderstood the situation. Keith wasn’t kind of, sorta attracted to me. He wasn’t at all. As a matter of fact, he was probably disgusted with the idea of being the same bed with me after all of this time. 

“.....explain it to me again,” he mumbled, looking up at me under thick, long lashes.

“Explain what?”

“The thi-you know, what happened, I guess! There has to be something that we could do or, I don’t know, just, gah!”

His miniature freakout was on my top ten list of ridiculously cute things Keith Kogane can do other than slit the throat of a robot guard in 0.4 seconds flat. He was making the same face he made when Shiro scolded him for being rambunctious. His nostrils were flared and his arms were across his chest as he furrowed his brows in my direction. The piece de resistance was the way he pouted his lower lip out more before letting his hair fall into his face like the moody teenager he was.

“From what I can understand,” I started, sitting up a bit and trying to hide my smirk. “If we don’t act like we’re together or committed to one another, we stand the risk of being killed for lying.”

“Isn’t that a little extreme?”

“Not when that’s the main reason you created a country on a planet in the middle of abyss of space,” I retorted, slinging my hands up in the sky. “You’d think they’d have contingencies for this.”

Taking a moment to collect himself, Keith took a deep breath and looked in my direction.

“So what do we do?” He grumbled, pushing his fringe out of his face. “I mean, it’s not like we can get into a fake relationship until we get off of this ridiculous planet.”

“Well………” I mumbled, voice high and my consonants long. 

“Oh, no, you aren’t, we can’t, Lance!”

“We totally can!” I hummed, trying to hide the disappointment from my face. “While we’re home, we can act like two bros and stay ten feet apart because we aren’t gay but the second we go outside, we’ll act like the gross couples on those rom coms Hunk and Allura watched!”

“But I don’t know, man, I can’t do the relationship thing,” he huffed, wiping the stress from his eyes. “I couldn’t do it back on Earth in front of Humans in a normal situation! How am I supposed to do it on a warring planet while looking over our shoulder every second to make sure we don’t get shot and killed!”

“We both can do that!” I responded, leaning forward a bit so Keith would look at me. “Listen, Keith, buddy, we don’t really have a choice. If we don’t do this, we stand a higher chance of getting hurt and someone trying to kill us. We don’t die by walking around, holding hands and kissing each other on the cheek-”

“What if someone asks us to kiss each other on the l-l-ips!” He shrieked, his eyes nearly falling out of his sockets. “I haven’t kissed someone in I don’t know how many decaphobes!”

“We’ll reach that bridge when we get there,” I whispered, trying not to think about how soft his lips would be. “But I need to know you understand the plan, Keith.”

He sat for a moment with his face in his hands and flushed skin causing his clothes to cling to his body. The seconds ticked by and that only made me more nervous as I tried to not think about how embarrassing this was going to be or how great it would feel to have Keith’s hand in mine. I was sure that Keith would notice how much I liked him sooner or later but I would have to cross that bridge when it came time for that. 

**Our priority was survival right now.**

Screw the way my heart fluttered or the way Keith’s eyebrows slowly eased away as the tension cleared the air. We didn’t have time to feel anything. Even though we didn’t have our Lions, we were still Paladins of Voltron and we still had a universe to protect. The quicker we went through this, the quicker I could get over my boy crush and the faster Keith and I wouldn’t be sharing a bed. Don’t even get me started on the bed situation and how I had to slowly but surely get used to him always being around me. Wait, there it was. That thought about how perfect his lips parted when he slept and how-

“Fine,” he sighed, looking up at me with violet eyes. A small smile grew on his face as he glanced over to the door. “Once we walk out of that door, you, Lance McClain become my boyfriend.”

“I’ll treat you right, honey,” I chuckled, moving just out of the way as he swung in my direction. “Fine, fine, no pet names yet, shnookems?”

“No pet names ever,” he grumbled, throwing himself back into his seat. Stifling a chuckle, he leaned his head over enough for him to see me again. “I guess it could be worse.”

“What do you mean?”

“I could be fake mates with Pidge,” he grimaced, shuddering as he thought of the idea.

“You’re right. She’d kill you before that ever happened,” I mumbled, thinking back to the fiery, she-computer with a short temper. “At least I’m a good boyfriend. I’ll bring you drinks, brush your hair and give you shade. When we walk I won’t take too long steps because of my gazelle legs and I promise I give good hugs.”

“Gazelle legs,” he chuckled, looking down at my legs on the top of the bed. “Speaking of legs, we should start training you to get back in shape. You’re kind of useless right now and have gained a little weight.”

“Hey!” I scoffed, looking down at my legs and stomach. “It’s not a lot of weight! I have a slow metabolism when I’m stressed!

“But you are right about one thing,” he yawned, pulling the covers over him again. 

“What is that?”

“ **You would be a good boyfriend, Lance,** ” he muttered, eyes shutting and lips parting as he slowly drifted to sleep. 

“Son of a-” I grumbled, looking down at his sleeping form. Arms wrapped tightly in the blanket and legs lost to it’s length, he looked so innocent and helpless. The one guy in the world, scratch that, in the universe that made my heart beat a little faster, was the one that hated the idea of me being a play boyfriend. Could my ego get any more crushed than it was now? Probably not, but I would have to deal with this for as long as it was necessary. 

**After all, our lives hung in the balance.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP  
> It's how you would expect.   
> No relationship starts with 'I like you,' 'Cool let's date', anymore.....  
> You need forced hand holding and kissing on the cheek to light a flame!


	20. Chapter 20: Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!  
> I've been swamped with everything and ICan't do much and I gah! I have Finals!!!! It's crazy! I will try as hard as I can to catch everything up, I promise!
> 
> ooh and SMUT!

**It was getting hotter by the second.**

Lance was a cuddler, I knew, long before we started sleeping in the same bed. Hunk had hundreds if not thousands of stories about how Lance would sleep over, go to the bathroom and return to Hunk’s room, falling right onto the big guy and snuggle in for bed. At first, I thought it was a joke, but when I heard the same story from Pidge and, shockingly enough, Shiro, I had no choice but to believe them. The first night, I had placed pillows in between us so we wouldn’t touch but somehow, Lance’s long legs found their way intertwined with mine and his hand was clenching my shirt so tightly I decided not to fight it off anymore. It had to have something to do with having a big family and always having body heat to attach to but I couldn’t say with confidence that I didn’t like it or that it never bothered me past the first few nights.

Lance was like my own personal space heater and if that didn’t help me during the cold night last night, I don't’ know what would. The only problem that came was when the poison I had been given earlier had started to flood my systems faster than I had expected. It felt like a cold shock climbing through every vein in every part of my body. Lance hadn’t really explained to me much about it but it tackled the Galra side of my body, my more primal side. That information pissed me off more than anything but now I realized what part of the Galra in me that was affected. 

My skin felt everything against it.

The air soft sheets brushing my arms and the fluff of the blanket were the first things I felt more than anything. The next thing I felt was my hair pressed against my cheek and the pillow beneath my head. The most prevalent thing, though, was the feel of Lance’s legs against mine. The former Blue Paladin was known for waxing his calves so the smoothness of his legs wasn’t a surprise but my reaction to that softness was what made me freeze in a cold-sweat. 

**I was hard.**

I didn’t mean morning wood type hard either.

I meant the excruciatingly tight, stomach clenching and throat closing hard. 

Knowing well enough that I was a perfectly healthy, if not one of the healthiest, twenty year olds on this side of the galaxy, I didn’t mind the fact that I was hard. The thing that troubled me the most was just how painful it was. It was like there was a rubber band tied ten times at the base of my cock, squeezing and squeezing until I was seconds from bursting but didn’t get the satisfaction.

Thankfully, Lance was on his back and the only part of him touching me were his legs. If I just slipped out of the bed and took care of it in the bathroom, he wouldn’t suspect a single thing. Opening my eyes to their fullest, I began to peel the blanket off of my flushed skin and tried to sit up without moving too much. 

“Mgh..”

My eyes instantly fell upon Lance as he turned his head in my direction. Parted lips and slow, even breaths weren’t what made me twitch with excitement. That simple moan as he turned to get comfortable had affected me to the core. Was that drug really so strong that it would get me aroused? To Lance no less!

“..Ke….Keith?” Lance moaned again, his hand reaching under his shirt, exposing the toned muscles of his lower stomach. Just above the band of his sweatpants were dark brown hairs, curled and inviting. I could feel myself salivating at the sight and I was moment away from trying to pull them off when I caught myself.

Was I really fantasizing about Lance right now?

I know we had that really weird conversation about fake dating and I wasn’t at all affected, at least not mentally, over what we had agreed on. Lance and I were fake dating for survival. I knew that there was a lot that came to being in a relationship but Lance being Lance would find a way. He was good at faking it until he made it. This, however, wasn’t a part of fake dating. Getting hard and having to masturbate in order to not creep out my partner was on a whole new level of uncomfortable that I wasn’t excited for. 

**I mean the guy was annoying, right?**

**Right?**

Sure, some of his jokes made me laugh and his stupid lanky arms felt nice under my hands but that didn’t mean that I was attracted to him. It just meant he was attractive. As a person. 

Taking another bold move, I stripped out of my sheet confines and nearly sprinted to the bathroom, shutting the door as softly as possible. The quicker I got this done, the quicker I could get back in bed and act like none of this had ever happened. Easing my way out of my pants, I was naked from the waist down as I turned the faucet on the sink on and leaned against the wall that sat directly in front of the mirror. Looking at my reflection, I could see that my entire body was covered in a red blush. I looked like I was going to burst like a tomato and the only thing that wasn’t as red as the rest of my body was my dick. 

It was the color of an ugly bruise, almost as if it was about to fall off. I tried not to freak out as I looked down at the standing appendage and felt the overwhelming heat and tension that came with it. I could feel the tightness in my lower stomach and watched my cock twitch as if it was about to burst. Peeling my shirt over my head, I jumped into the shower and turned on the coldest setting. Once the ice cold water hit my skin, I felt a bit at ease but definitely not enough to feel relieved. 

That meant only one thing.

I was going to have to tug it out. 

It wasn’t like I was scared but it had been a while since I had the space to masturbate and even in the castle, you only had a few minutes every three weeks or so when there wasn’t training, a battle or someone barging into your room. Not to mention my penis was nearly black and purple like it was waiting for the right breeze to knock it off of my body! If this wasn’t the weirdest thing that would ever happen to me, I honestly wasn’t excited for what could happen later on in life.

Reaching a shaking hand down to my cock, I gave an experimental pull, instantly feeling the shock and pleasure rip through my body like lightening.

Each stroke made me get closer to the edge but it just seemed like I couldn’t jump over. The harder I pumped and louder the whimpers came out, the farther I seemed from coming. Pressing my warm forehead against the cool towels, I did my best but my hand was nearly cramping and I couldn’t even move my wrist without feeling discomfort. Every muscle in my body was taut and pulled as sweat dripped down my forehead as heat poured over me in waves.

“What the hell!” I grumbled, slamming my fist against the cold tiles and nearly cracking them.

**“Keith?”**

Shit.

Not now. Not when I was already freaking out and ruining everything we had between us!

“Keith are you okay?” Lance asked, knocking on the door. His voice was thick with sleep and I could hear him shuffling with the blanket outside the door. “I heard you shout. Did you stub your toe or something?”

“Yeah, that, I uh, stubbed my toe,” I answered, reaching for the soap to put on my hands. Maybe a bit of lubrication would make it easier and this annoying moment would fly by me. Reaching down for my dick, I tried again, this time with my left hand.

“Keith? Do you need a bandaid?”

“N-No,” I mumbled, the sound nearly sounding like moan as I tried to find release. 

“Keith,” Lance repeated, the sound of my name on his lips making pre-com slip out to fall on my hand. 

No way….

**Was Lance saying my name the reason-There’s no way?**

“Keith? I asked you a question? Keith?”

“Ah-Ah!” I sighed, pumping a little faster as the sound of his voice echoed in the room. I could nearly see him standing outside my door, hand touching those tight abdominal muscles and reaching down to hold his- “Gah!”

“Keith? I’m coming in, you don’t sound good-”

“ **NO!** ” I shouted, ducking my head under the cold water as I tried to concentrate on his beautiful blue eyes squinting in concern or the way he always winked when he thought he was being funny. Was it those thin fingers curling around the trigger of his rifle and the cocky grin he rocked when he sniped a guard? “J-Just keep talking. It helps keep the pain away.”

“Oh, um what do you want me to talk about?” He asked, worry filling his voice. I felt like the trash that trudged through garbage because I was using my friends voice to get off but I couldn’t think about that now, I had no choice. Lance’s voice was making me feel so good and so close that I had finally found a pleasant rhythm. “I can tell you about that time I stubbed my toe on Blue’s claws. Pidge was there and it’s probably a lot less painful this way.”

“Fine, just-just keep going,” I groaned, pumping a little faster as he began to talk again.

“So I was sitting in the bay area, minding my own business when suddenly one of the mice decided to walk onto Blue’s claws,” he started, voice low and hushed because of the door. My hand moved almost automatically as I inched closer and closer to the sweet release I was begging for. “And I told them to get off of Blue but they just chirped at me and you know I can’t speak mice, Keith, so when they ran to Red, I had to speak up. I said, ‘Keith isn’t going to like you touching-”

“Ah!” I gasped, covering my mouth with my other hand. My hips were jerking forward with more and more ferocity as I tried not to make more noise than I needed to. “T-Then what happened, L-Lance?”

“Keith, are you sure you’re alright? You kind of sound out of breath,” he asked, leaning hard enough against the door that it was creaking.

“I’m….I’ll be alright soon, Lance,” I huffed, barely getting the sound out as a moan ripped through my chest. “Lanc-mh…”

Suddenly there was silence on the other side of the door as fear took hold of me. Did he hear me say his name? Did that scare him off? Oh no, did I stop-

“Keith,” Lance answered, his voice heavy and filled with...I don’t know. I didn’t care right now, but just as my hand began to move again, Lance said one last thing. “Come on, Keith. Hurry up and come outside, pretty boy.”

“AH!” Come splattered against the wall of the bathroom as I screamed. My head was throbbing and my skin was finally paling back to it’s normal color. Even my penis was back to it’s normal slightly pink color. “I-I’m back to normal!”

“I don’t think you were normal from the beginning,” Lance chuckled, the sound freaking me out for a moment. “Next time, don’t stub your toe so many times in the tub. I thought since you’re a samurai, you’d know better.”

For the first time in the past fifteen minutes, I actually wanted Lance to shut up. Scrubbing my skin and being careful of the patch, I cleaned most of the sweat and gunk stuck to my body. Gabbing Lance’s shampoo and conditioner, I washed my hair and felt like a brand new person as I stepped out of the shower and looked around for evidence of what I had just done. Thankfully, there wasn’t any and as I shrugged on the sweatpants I had worn before, I threw a towel over my shoulders and opened the door. Lance was fiddling with something in the Kitchen and when I walked in, he glanced in my direction.

“Hey,” he hummed, looking in my direction. I watched as his eyes raked over my chest before turning back to what he was doing. “Want some fruit?”

“Nah, I-I’m a little tired,” I grumbled, looking for a pair of underwear to switch into. “Um, don’t turn around please.”

“Or what?”

“You’ll see me naked,” I snapped, slipping my sweatpants off and moving to grab the underwear. 

“Maybe I want to,” he chuckled, causing me to look up. Turning to look over to him, I was glad to see that he hadn’t turned around. Quickly throwing some boxers on, I slid the sweatpants back on and threw myself on the bed. “Just kidding.”

“Ha ha,” I grunted, my voice deadpanned and bored. 

“Why’d you decide to take a shower so early anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s barely morning,” he giggled, popping a final piece of fruit in his mouth. Dropping the empty bowl into the sink, he joined me in the bed. “We’ve got a couple hours and it’s not like we have to go anywhere tomorrow.”

“Oh, um, I was sweaty and didn’t want to stink up the bed,” I stumbled, adjusting the blankets and sheets to get comfortable. 

“That couldn’t wait until real morning?”

I shook my head as Lance eased himself into his spot as well. 

“What about the toe stubbing?” He asked, a smirk on his face. It looked perfect against his tanned skin and thick, brown eyebrows.“What did you keep stubbing your toe on, anyway? Last time I was in the tub, there wasn’t anything to hit-”

“The side,” I blurted, looking away from him. “I kept hitting the side.”

“That’s pretty hard to believe but to each’s own I guess,” he hummed, reaching a hand out to tap my shoulder. The touch itself sent shivers straight to my spine and that was only with a tap of his fingertips. Would I be like this all the time? Or would it get easier? What the heck did this drug do to me? “Night.”

“Night,” I muttered, careful  to stay on my side of the bed so I wouldn’t possibly touch him again. Whatever that drug was, it made me sensitive and I didn’t like not understanding how my body worked. I had trained year after to year to make sure I was ready for anything but this. This was on a whole other level of uncomfortable and exciting that I wasn’t prepared for. 

How would this affect my relationship with Lance?

**And would I show Lance a side of me that I hadn’t ever had time to explore for myself?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
> Yeah.....


	21. Chapter 21: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have work in like 6 hours and I want to shoot myself in the face....

Waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of Keith’s moaning was something new to experience. At first, I really did think that he had jammed his foot into something or banged his shoulder, especially since I was still half asleep when I heard the noises. But when I heard those wanton moans get louder the more I spoke, I knew it wasn’t him being in pain. He was getting himself off, something that I never knew I’d experience before. The sound travelled so well that I could feel it through my skin, burning goosebumps and causing me to think of all the ways I could make him louder. It took every ounce of self control in my body to stop myself from breaking down the door and watching him, maybe even joining him in the sins of pleasure but that was moving this along far faster than I knew Keith could handle. I had to think about every unsexy thing my mind could consume in order to walk away unscathed. It didn’t help that Keith came outside without a shirt on and in sweatpants that rode so low on his waist that it left very little to the imagination. I knew by how low his pants were that he wasn’t wearing any underwear and that nearly pushed me to the edge. He even went as far as to tell me not to turn around while he changed. If he hadn’t said anything, I would have just finished the bowl and had enough time for him to change. 

But no, he had to tempt me.

I didn’t sleep that well when we both went back to bed. More like I didn’t really sleep, just close my eyes and try not to think about Keith naked, hands slipping down his slick skin, touching that forbidden…..

Okay. I had to stop thinking about it.

Keith, being completely unfair, knocked out the second he hit the pillow and it was beyond cute how his hair curled around his neck and forehead making a soft pillow for him to sleep on. His habit of always having a hand near his knife hadn’t changed and much to my chagrin, there was a enough saliva on his lips that they looked nearly perfect enough to just….

**No.**

I couldn’t do that. 

And I didn’t really fall asleep until a knock on the door and push of the doorbell woke me up. Bolting up to a stand and testing the strength of my leg, I hobbled over to the door. Pulling it open as slowly as I could, I watched a letter flutter to my feet, my first name written on it. Picking it up, I looked around outside the doorway for the person that had brought it. No one was outside and I didn’t want to wake Keith so I just closed the door and locked it. Ripping the letter open, I read what was inside.

 

_ Dear Lance, _

_ I have arranged for a pod to retrieve both you and Keith to go to the Beaches of Halklanda. It is somewhat like your beaches on Earth but this is a more private one. The same letter has been sent to Malone and her family. I informed her that you and Keith have agreed to strengthen your relationship on Bellterr and wished for a ‘date’ with the rest of their family. You must convince Malone first of this relationship so she can assist you as along the way. I am pulling many strings to make sure there are no other people there but you should experience the same effect. _ **_Do not waste this time_ ** _. Get a tighter hold your relationship with Keith so the Bellterran citizens see progress. I will be dropping more of my ‘help’ whenever I can.  _

_ Yours Truly, _

_ Falthelee _

 

Did Falthelee just give me the ultimate chance to see Keith without a shirt on?

Yes, yes he did.

Maybe the guy was growing on me after all.

  
  
  


“Why the hell are we here?” Keith grunted, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trunks. 

“To go on a date,” I replied, leaning back against the cool metal of the pod. It was tough getting the antisocial emo kid out of the apartment without revealing the master plan but with a little persuasion and unwanted groaning, he accepted it. “You know, for the fake relationship.”

“It’s not like tons of people are going to be here to see us together and it’s not safe for you to be moving back and forth like this,” he started, shrugging his shoulders and sliding deeper into his seat. “What if your arm swells or your collarbone messes up again? I just got you to stop walking like a penguin.”

“Ye of little faith and absolutely no fun,” I chuckled, tapping him on the head. Keith scowled at the gesture but immediately glanced over to my leg in concern.“What’s a little vacay with an alien family going to do to hurt us? Not to mention there may be some perfect alien babes on the surf just like back home.” 

“Why are you such an idiot?” Keith grumbled, smacking me upside the head and turning away from me. 

Pressing several unnecessary buttons to find the ‘open window’ one, I finally succeeded in revealing the beautiful gleam of the beach. Two bright suns blazed high over vast seas of blue water that shimmered as if it were made of diamonds. Matte black sand was surrounded by gold rocks and purple trees, yellow leaves fluttering in the comfortable wind. It was really a sight to see and every bit of it reminded me of a fairy tail I had read when I was younger. I could feel my eyes sting as I remembered the long days left in the sun on Earth. The small vacations Hunk and I had when we went to the beaches in Varadero when Hunk came home with me one year, barbeques covered in perfectly grilled turkey burgers and melt in your mouth smores. Or the time that Stella and I skipped class and headed to the cliffs to go cliff diving into crystal clear waters, salt burning our eyes and filling our hearts with joy. Sure, it was dangerous and sure, it was probably not the best idea but those memories would last me a lifetime! To think, my first date with Keith would be at a beach. Well, my first fake date with Keith.“This could be the start of a beautiful relationship waiting to burn into fruition!”

Keith looked at me with the most dead look in his eyes as he leaned against the pod walls waiting for us to land. He didn’t say anything as he grabbed his day bag and strutted off of the pod platform. I hurriedly grabbed mine and carefully stepped off walking over to where Malone, Ray and the kids were huddled on beach blankets, skin covered in faded green liquid. Enormous black umbrellas and egg shaped coolers were on the sand just beside Zoey who was already opening one and sticking a wiggling tentacle in her mouth. 

“Father! The Humans have arrived!” One twin, what was his name again?

“It seems they have, Maltok” Ray smiled, sitting up. The others joined him as we walked over, Malone standing to give Keith and I a big hug. Keith accepted, not even attempting to move her away. Once she finished, she reached for Ray’s hand, careful to intertwine their tails with one another. “It’s so great to see the both of you safe and sound. Zoey was especially worried about your life being.”

“Kitten!” Zoey shouted, squirming from her brothers hold and running to Keith. Keith flinched as she reached up but when she hugged his knees, he relaxed a bit more. Reaching down, he pulled her into his arms with a smile on his face. “Kitten Keef!”

“Hey, Zoey,” he replied, allowing her to snuggle into the crook of his neck. Looking to Malone, he said. “I guess I should say thanks for inviting us to the beach. It might have been a little stuffy in the apartment after the exciting day we had two days ago.”

Motioning to Malone behind Keith’s back, I begged her to not open her mouth but she still said, “What do you mean? Wasn’t it you who invited us?”

Thankfully, Ray caught sight of me. “No, Mal, I invited them,” he blurted, eyeing Malone. She quirked an eyebrow but nodded her head without another word. “Enough of who invited who. It is time to spread the Nan on our skins.”

“Nan?” I asked, pointing to the green liquid on their skin. “Is that the green gunk on your skin?”

“It protects us from the direct rays of light that come from our suns, so yes,” Ray answered, reaching for a bottle near his feet. “The atmosphere near this beach is thinner than other parts of Bellterr. You have to put a thin layer on skin that may burn to crisp.”

“C-Crisp?” I stammered, holding my hand against my exposed arms.

“No,” Malone sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “He meant burn until sunburned. Like you can get a painful sunburn.”

Keith and I sighed in relief as we grabbed the bottle from her hand and sat on the blanket beside the twins. Both twins seemed to be preoccupied with making a sand castle that was far more impressive than anything I had ever seen preteens make but I guess they were normal for aliens. Zoey was still attached to Keith but she quickly moved out of the way when she felt Keith wouldn’t pay enough attention to her. That left Keith and I to set up our little space on the beach. Me being the expert on beaches, I tugged towels, our snacks and our small tanning pillows out of our bags and set them up. Keith seemed oddly uncomfortable as he sat in the middle of his blanket, arms pulled into his body and hair covering his eyes. I knew the guy wasn’t all about the beach but I thought he’d be able to have at least a little fun. 

“Hey, wanna set up one or two towels?”

“Hm.”

“Two it is,” I replied slowly, swiping black sand off of my blanket. Grabbing the bottle of Nan, I squirted the gel into my hand, nose picking up an herb scent. It reminded me of liquid Aloe Vera and the cool feel would do great for my skin. I quickly tugged my shirt over my head and began to rub the Nan into my legs and arms. Surprisingly, the liquid melted into my skin and disappeared, unlike Malone’s family. After my arms, legs and torso were covered, it only left my back. Turning to Keith, I noticed his eyes on me instantly. A tiny smirk grew on my face as I caught Keith’s attention. “Keith?”

“D-Do you need me to get your back?” He mumbled, rolling his shoulders in a sign of discomfort. I could feel his deep violet eyes burning holes through my chest and it made me wonder if that was a heated glance because I was only in trunks or that he didn’t want me to burn. “I mean, I don’t have to but-”

“Please,” I blurted, throwing the bottle at him. Keith jumped at the sudden answer but smoothly caught the bottle uncapping it as I rolled over, careful with my injured elbow and several bruises. He squirted the cool Nan down my spine, causing me to shiver both from the temperature and of his fingers on my skin again. I could feel his hesitation but just as I was about to say something, his hands were kneading the Nan in. His fingers against the tight muscles of my back was perfect and I wouldn’t exactly tell him this but his hands were one of my favorite parts of Keith. His thick palms the ran up to thin wrists were far more attractive to me than his other pretty damn good qualities. Fingers covered in calluses gained from hours of training scraping over my skin was just so- “MH, right there, Keith. Unh, Keith harder! Push harder!”

Fingers froze just below my shoulder blades and as I turned my head, I saw a bright red blush form on his cheeks. Internally chuckling, I reached for the bottle on his lap, fingers not so accidentally sliding against his thigh. Squeezing some Nan in my hands, I placed it on his cheeks, making the Galra hybrid gasp. I cupped his cheek, holding him in place as I covered his face in the green liquid, making sure it all went in. When I finished, I took a deep breath and squeezed more into my hands and smeared it over his exposed neck, scrunching my nose when I hit the top of his shirt collar. “I’m going to need you to take your shirt off if I’m going to continue.”

Keith didn’t answer as he stared at my arms stretched out to touch him.

“Keith.”

“What?”

“Shirt off, please,” I chuckled, moving my hands so he could focus. He slowly peeled his shirt off, folding it beside our towels. When I reached out to wipe the remnants of Nan from my hands to his chest, he hissed. “You good?”

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, looking down at the towel. “Must be the drugs having side effects.”

“Definitely the drugs,” I retorted, getting more Nan. We continued in silence as I covered his chest and back. He took over as soon as I joked about doing his legs and arms. He didn’t look like he could take anymore anyway. Malone was pretty preoccupied with her kids and Ray to notice our interaction. I didn’t mind. Some of these moments needed to be more of an us thing than a team thing. If I wanted Keith to actually like me as a person and not because we were being forced to, I would have to get him to like the real me. The charming, debonaire me with a charming smile and good legs. “But it’s okay to be sensitive, Samurai. I am.”

“Y-You are?” He replied, the stutter making my heart jump.

“Yeah, I’m ridiculously ticklish,” I smiled, looking out to the water. “Only Hunk knows this but I’m not ticklish in the usual spots. You know, like my stomach or feet. My neck is ridiculously ticklish and my legs.”

“Of course you’d be the weird one,” he joked, the first real retort he had with me today. It made me smile wider as I shoved him in the shoulder.

“Sorry for being different, Tex.”

“Don’t start, Lance,” he groaned, closing the bottle of Nan.

“Makes me wonder though,” I started, leaning forward. Keith caught on fairly quickly though, jolting up and backing away. I jumped up with him as he took off into a death sprint, me hot on his tails. “You can’t run away forever!” 

Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t as fast as I was normally, seeing as I tore a ligament and all. Keith slowed down for some reason, probably to mock me for how slow I was. He looked so beautiful with his hair billowing in the wind as he ran towards the crystal blue waters of the ocean. His skin was already tanning a bit under the sun and I was sure he would complain about it later but I didn’t mind.  It was like my two favorite things were mashed into one amazing memory as Keith reached the water. His feet were submerged in the water, a sigh falling from his lips as foam gathered around his ankles.

“Nice isn’t it,” I hummed, joining him in the water. “Kind of reminds me of back home.”

“Yeah,” he breathed, bending down to pick up a purple shell. Beneath our feet, there were probably hundreds of shells in peculiar colors and weird arrangements. Fish as small as needles were crowding around our feet as birds with gills dove into the ocean, swimming towards us. Fish was, of course, a relative term because they didn’t all look like the Fish we had on Earth. They were all fluorescent in color and with almost looked like light bugs. Some had spikes with rods while others looked like hybrid frogs or the ugly baby of an alligator. That still didn’t dampen my mood as I tackled Keith into the shallow water, protective bandage on my elbow getting soaking wet. I watched as Keith’s normally fluffy black hair was drenched in alien water. Giving a second to claim victory, I let him up, the man sputtering in frustration. “Finally got ya.”

“Damn it, Lance! Can’t you act your age for at least a few seconds?” He grumbled, wiping his eyes of the water. The ocean here didn’t smell salty so I couldn’t understand why he was wiping his eyes like that. I didn’t take the snippet to heart as I slowly wrapped my arms around his lower abdomen, hugging Keith under the water. Stiffening, Keith let his arms lay by his body in the wet sand, his heartbeat slowing. “Wha-....what are you doing?”

“Saying sorry,” I answered, pulling him closer into the one arm hug. Looking up to his face, I pinched his lower back. “You know hugs entail two people right?”

“Yeah, I’ve hugged before,” he muttered, slowly wrapping his arms around me. He made sure to not hit my elbow, even adding a little rub to my back. I would have enjoyed the heat of his body for a little longer if I didn’t hear Malone coming near. 

“You shouldn’t stay in the water like that,” she warned, hands on her hips. I hadn’t taken the time to notice but she was in, what I could only call, a bodysuit. From her neck to wrists were covered as if she didn’t want the water to touch her midsection. The shorts were even longer than what I was used to seeing at the beach, cutting off just above her knees. “Hakni can smell blood from very far away and I’m sure you can’t clean all of the blood from your stitches.”

“Hakni?” Keith asked, body stilling. 

“Big Vish!” Zoey chuckled, sticking her thumb back in her mouth. She was dressed just like her mother, except she had a cap on. Somehow, she had wobbled her way to waters and pulled her long hair into a makeshift bun.

“Yes, Zoey, **a big fish with over seven hundred razor sharp teeth that can reach up to a hundred feet with its thick tentacles** ,” Malone explained, patting her child on the head. “They especially like prey that aren’t paying attention.”

Keith and I immediately scrambled to our feet, taking seven giant steps back from the water. “Why the hell would anyone want to come to a beach like this!”

“It is beautiful at the night time when the Faris come out,” Ray explained, walking over to us with the twins. He was also dressed in an odd-looking bathing suit, somehow reminding me of an orange haired, mustache wearing uncle. “There is only about an Earth hour before they will come out.”

“To think, a planet has fairies,” I hummed, patting Keith on the shoulder. He was still looking out to the water, a sad frown on his face. “Don’t worry, bud. At least we were able to be in the water for a bit.”

“Nah, it’s not that,” he mumbled, eyes never leaving the water.

“What is it?”

“My dad used to take me to the beach every summer as a present for passing the school year,” he muttered, pushing his fringe from his face. I had forgotten that Keith’s Father was an enigma. All I knew was what Shiro had told me and even then the two-toned haired leader had hidden some details. Apparently, he vanished while Keith was at the Garrison and when he returned, his dad was nowhere to be found. He was Texan born and raised but was Korean. He raised Keith all by himself without any help from Keith’s mother, who we now know was Galra. It probably hurt him a lot to think about him right now, especially since we were away from Shiro and the team. “Sorry, you always complain about me letting my ‘emo emotions’ get in the way.”

“Dude, you can be as emotional as you want about that,” I responded, tugging his shoulder a bit. Keith gave in and followed me to the towels. Throwing ourselves down, I laid back, attempting to get comfortable under the nice breeze and warm suns. “But that doesn’t mean it all has to be sad. What good memories do you have?”

“Well, my dad would only let me swim since I wasn’t very good at making friends when I was younger.”

“Figured you were antisocial as a kid,” I grumbled, crossing my legs. “Don’t tell me you never made sand castles.”

I didn’t get a response. 

Jolting up, I stared a confused Keith down. 

“You did make sand castles right?”

Keith shook his head.

“Or get such a bad tan you had to wait a week to even sit down?”

Another no.

“Or play beach volleyball?”

“Um..no.”

“Did you even go to the beach, Keith!”   

“Yes!” He retorted, his cheeks filling a bit with air as he tried his best to pout. I was seconds away from poking his cheeks when Zoey teetered over.

“Kitten!”

“Yes, Zoey,” Keith grumbled, still a little too upset to exactly answer nicely. 

“Howse! Howse!”

“What?”

“Aw, she wants to make a sandcastle with you,” I translated, seeing the bright green bucket behind her back. “I’ll make a house with you, Zoey.”

“No, Kitten make Howse,” she grumbled, shoving the bucket in Keith’s face. The man immediately glared at the bucket before shaking his head. “Kitten no want make house with Zoey….”

“Oh no, Keith, just tell her yes,” I grunted, reaching out for the toddler as tears filled her eyes. He didn’t budge as I cradled her head in my chest. I glared at the man, covering her ears as I spoke so she wouldn’t hear me curse. “Why are you being such an asshole?”

“Me?” He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. “What about you?”

“What are you talking about?  **I’ve** been nice,” I hissed, looking to Zoey. She had stopped tearing up and looked like she knew there weren’t going to be any sandcastles made today. She gave me a tiny squeeze before scurrying over to her brothers near the ocean's edge. 

“Fine? You’ve been acting weird since I got drugged!”

“What?” Gaping at the fiery Black Paladin, I found myself at a loss for what to say. “I haven’t done anything to you but been nice! I even tucked your sorry butt in last night.”

“Exactly! Stop acting all nice!” He exploded, jumping to his feet and staring me down. 

“Are you seriously made at me for being nice?” I scoffed, pushing damp curls from my forehead. “First, you complain that I annoy you and now your mad at me for being nice to you!”

“Stop acting like everything's changed just because we’re here and we may die!” He snapped, throwing his hands in the air. “Go back to making fun of me and caring about everyone else except for me! You were good at that!”

**Good at that?**

Did he not realize that I was always worried about how he was? No person was healthy by being by themselves all the time and even when he thought he was alone, I tried to make sure he wasn’t killing himself. I knew that I sometimes treated other people a little better than I treated him but that was because he treated me like a nuisance. Keith was so quick to push people away because he didn’t know how to accept someone caring for him other than Shiro or his stupid dad. Neither one of them were here now. I was here and I was trying to make him feel better. 

It wasn’t like I was jealous or anything, it just made me so mad!

**Wait.**

Was he really just…

“Are you…..jealous?”

Bright blushes bloomed on his face and neck as realization hit him right in the face. I doubted he meant to say as much as he had and it made me just want to push his buttons even further. 

“Keith? Are you seriously jealous of the amount of time I spend with other people?”

“I-I-uh, nevermind,” he fumbled, turning to walk away but I immediately reached my arm out to grab his hand. He didn’t tug, seeing as it was my hurt one. Just turning him a bit made the stitches move uncomfortably but I wanted to have this conversation. No, I needed this conversation. 

“Let’s um, go over there,” I muttered, pointing to a pair of gold colored rock that were shimmering in the low light of the descending suns. Keith didn’t argue as I tugged him over to the rocks and leaned against one, Keith doing the same. “Can you explain it a little better? I mean, I thought we were making progress in our bro relationship.”

“Please don’t say it like that,” he grimaced, running a hand through is drying hair. “It makes it sound like we’re in a relationship and at the same time doesn’t make sense.”

“But we are,” I mumbled, reaching out for his hand. When the man flinched to the smallest touch, I moved it away. I was probably moving way too fast since I was eager to make Keith mine. Courting Keith wouldn’t be like how it was with girls or regular guys even. Keith had a lot of broken pieces he had to put back together. Some of them I could help him with while others were sure to be too hard to fix. Time would heal him for sure and as long as he allowed me, I would be there. “I know being friends with me aren’t the greatest pieces of your life. I get that being in a fake relationship with me for survival is also low on the list of things you want to do too. But I need you to open up to me like I’ve opened up to you.” When he didn’t respond, I became furious, grabbing his shoulders so he would at least look at me. “Come on, Keith! I’ve confessed my insecurities to you! I’ve told you things I’ve never told Hunk or Pidge and they’ve been friends of mine for a lot longer than you! Mierda, can’t you at least open up a bit! ”

The curse echoed through the space around us as I stared Keith down, his unusually vibrant eyes were opened in shock. I had never really yelled at Keith before. Sure, we had our arguments that escalated but I had never screamed loud enough to echo. I immediately felt horrible for what I had done, feeling the oceans chill cut between us. Had I done something horrible and only made the space between us harder? “Buddy, Keith, I’m sorry, man.”

“No, you’re right,” he muttered, looking down at his hands in his lap. “I haven’t really been fair to you. I guess I still don’t know how to really be friends with people.” Chuckling a bit, he looked over to me, hair plastered to his forehead and lower lip caught between his teeth. “I guess it’s because…..I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Being friends,” he replied, simply. “You have to remember, I thought I lost the only friend I had ever made when Shiro disappeared on the moon mission. When he disappeared the second time, I thought I was going to break with the stress and I didn’t want anything to happen to you guys so I tried my best but that wasn’t enough either. Now, I’m more at a loss than ever because I’m supposed to protect you and someone has been able to drug me, nearly kill you and I couldn’t do a damn thing about.”

“Keith…”

“No, let me finish,” he started, looking back to me. I felt my eyes glued to his as his eyes twinkled a bit more. “We’ve seen so many people die to stop the Galra and every time we go on a mission, I feel like it’s my job to sacrifice everything in order to protect those around me. I’ve never spent so much time with anyone like I’ve spent with you guys and I can’t even bare the thought of possibly losing any of you. Especially after everything we’ve been through.”

I couldn’t speak as he wiped angrily at his eyes, swiping hard enough to rub his cheeks raw. “When I saw you in the middle of the arena, it was like I couldn’t breath. I thought you were dead and I had lost another person I cared about a-and I don’t want that. I don’t want to lose another people I care about.”

“I don’t want that either, Keith,” I whispered, but Keith shook his head.

“No, no, you don’t understand,” he fumbled, waving his hands in front of me. “It’s like the more I’m around you, the more I can’t think of anything but you. Since the first time I carried you to your healing pod to now, it feels like all I’ve wanted to do was spend time around you. You’re like a giant magnet for people! Sometimes all I need to hear is a shitty joke or watch you make a fool of yourself and I feel healed. Everytime we had to heal in a pod, I wanted to be in the one right beside you so when I woke up, you would be the first thing I saw and I would know you were alright.”

Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

“And when you accidentally hold me at night, it makes me feel like I’m,” he struggled, moving his hands as he tried to speak. “It’s like my heart races and my skin feels warm and you look so nice.” Looking up to me, eyes pleading for an answer, he said. “Why do you look so nice?”

My heart had stopped beating as I watched Keith struggle to the point that years were taken off of my life. “What are you trying to say?”

“I-I don’t want my feelings to change how we feel as friends, Lance,” he whispered, leaning his head back against the rock.

“It depends on...I don’t know, it really doesn’t depend on anything because-

“KITTEN!”

Keith and I immediately froze as a bumbling toddler raced in our direction, just behind the tails of her twin brothers. Malone and Ray were trailing the crew as they walked over. As I sat up a little straighter, Keith moved a bit farther away from me. I was a bit sad but couldn’t really focus on that as Maltok and Kaltakra pointed to the calming ocean.

“They’re coming!”

“What’s coming?” Keith asked, his shoulders tense. 

“The Faris!”

Staring out to the suns setting, I saw billions of twinkling stars darting in our direction almost at the speed of light. The moment the suns hid behind the horizon, a burst of luminescent blue and red lights filled the air, mixing and mingling like ocean waves and flickering as bright as a flame. The insect-like creatures were the size of a coin but their light was just as bright as the lightbugs seen on camping adventures. Once the insects made contact with the water, they tinged the crystal clear liquid with orange, pink, green and yellow light, just like christmas lights in the snow. Many of them stayed above the water, though, dancing around in the wind and landing on top of the children’s heads. Seeing them closer, I noticed they were two eyed insects with large butterfly wings and two legs. Maltok threw a bug in his mouth and giggled as his brother pointed to where it flew. Zoey followed a swarm of them along the dark sand while several laid atop Malone and Ray’s joined hands. To my delight and Keith’s annoyance, Red Faris landed on my nose and shoulders, their tiny feet tickling against my skin. Blue Faris moved around Keith and soon he was smiling just as brightly as the rest of us. 

“They choose people that are compatible with one another,” Malone chuckled, moving to stand beside us. “It doesn’t matter if they are brothers, lovers or lost souls, they always find the two that matter.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, letting a Faris crawl up my arm.

“Faris bugs love three things,” Ray explained, moving to sit on the sand. Malone joined him, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Crisp water, warm fires, and Love.”

“It seems you both have all three within you,” Malone chuckled, one Faris landing on her nose. She let it flap its wings a few times before it flew away. “Beautiful calming waves of blue and burning passion of red, their intermingling creating all sorts of beautiful forces of nature. Only love can come from things like that. True love.”

Was it really so simple to see things like that?

I knew what she was trying to say and that only made me feel more assured.

I represented the calming blue waves and Keith was burning passion of red. It just seemed like I understood how I felt and Keith was still wavering. All I wanted to do was pull him closer to me and tell him straight to his face how I felt about him but I knew that would only make him uncomfortable. Keith wasn’t ready to feel anything more than basic emotion. No, that wasn’t right. Keith wanted to understand and be like the rest of us. Even though he never said it outloud, he always seemed like he was inching closer and closer to us, to me. Maybe I was a magnet that could help him become what he was always meant to be. Peering over my shoulder, I tried to speak but words wouldn’t come out as I looked to Keith.

Nestled against the dim, gold rocks, was a serene Paladin, dark violet eyes nearly closed in contentment and dark lashes slowly grazing his cheek every few moments. His hair had fluffed almost perfectly against his slightly tanned skin and his body glistened with drying ocean water and remnant Nan. Nearly forty blue Faris bugs had hovered around him, illuminating the beautiful ridges and divots of Keith’s face and body. As he opened his hands, a single red Faris bug sat inside, nestling its thin wings against its body and laying deep in his palm. The bug seemed so common compared to the rare smile on Keith’s face. 

**He was at peace and he was so beautiful.**

Instinctively placing a hand against his shoulder, I felt rather than saw him face me, eyes shimmering under dim Faris light. His lips were parted as warm breath escaped, a hand reaching up to touch my own. My heart was racing as senses opened to the clear scent of salt water and sweat, the comforting smell only coming from Keith. Deep violet eyes bared down on me, their intent unknown and unsure. My eyes flashed down to his lips and watched him drag a pink tongue over his lower one. If I leaned in just a little further, I was sure I would-

“Can I?” He whispered, eyes closing shut.

“Wha-”

Then there was warmth as his tender lips pressed against mine, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek and pull me closer. My eyes were blown wide and heart stilled to a stop as dark tresses swirled around me. Every nerve in my body was alight and my toes tingled as I tilted myself up further to deepen the kiss. Salted lips pressed back confidence brewing deep in Keith’s chest as the slightest moan melted in my mouth before pulling me closer. My hands slid up Keith’s arm, careful to not pull away. Just as my fingers found purchase in velvet soft waves, Keith pulled away. I didn’t move as Keith dragged a thumb over his lower lip, turning to stare back into the the depths of the Faris sea.

“Keith….you just, we just-”

“We have to convince Malone and Ray too, right?” Keith muttered, looking to me with tired eyes. Nodding his head to the spot over my shoulder, he said. “Even though they can’t know the plan, they’ll at least think we’re together for sure now.”

As I turned my head, I saw Malone and Ray whispering amongst one another, turning their heads and smiling in our direction. They did look like they were happy for us, maybe even proud. But that only made me feel more disheartened. My heart had dropped into the pit of my feet and I couldn’t breathe as I stared down at my own hands. 

“You did that…..to prove we were in a relationship?” I mumbled, shaking my head. 

“Yeah,” Keith answered, a confused look on his face. “ **Why else would I do it?** ”

And for once in a long time, I didn’t have anything to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEP  
> YHEP  
> I KNOW  
> I FUCKING SUCK  
> LIKE I HATE HAPPINESS  
> I'm so sorry.....  
> AT least they kissed right?


	22. Chapter 22: Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I NEED MORE KLANCE FIC IN MY LIFE

Everything around Lance felt wrong. 

I couldn’t explain if it was the unusually tight tension in the air, or the fact that Lance hadn’t said a single thing since we left the beach. That silence followed into the night and now it was mid afternoon four days later and he had barely made a single noise. Every day I would wake up, I’d expect him to be cuddled up to me like he normally was but when I opened my eyes, he’d be awake or moved to the couch. The small television would be playing the credits to an incredibly old black and white movie and it would be blaringly quiet. I felt something close to pity when he was still asleep and would throw a blanket on him before I going on a run. Today, the pattern hadn’t changed. I would do a little harder of a regimen just to help me shake this feeling. 

It started out just a normal four mile jog, something that I usually did on a treadmill on the training deck in the castle. Halfway through, when I reached my runners high, I took a dead sprint out to the farthest part of the multicolored forests. Chest heaving, throat dry and steps sluggish, I finally gave up as just as my body began to shake. Leaning against the closest normal looking tree, I stared up at the purple sky. Bellterr was definitely beautiful. Every piece looked like it was designed to show the most perfect sides of the universe. Some of the plants and insects I had seen over the past few weeks reminded me of plants I had seen on other planets. Usually I wouldn’t have paid any attention to them, but some of the plants were in food that Hunk made after we’d make a pit stop for supplies or listed on the ‘Rare and Ceremonial Intergalactic Flora and Fauna’ list Pidge and Allura made for us. Just from paying a bit more attention, I noticed that the King had probably help design some of these small details. There was no way that they could have all of these amenities and breathable air without finding everything that would suit it’s people. From the multiple pod systems to the designated areas for land, sea and air creatures. Not to mention the divided areas that allow species of the same air quality to live together or at least humanoids together. Every subcategory was designed, built and run a certain way to have security, order and most of all comfort. It all being man or alien made was the only explanation I could come to that made sense, especially since we had so much access to things that were from Earth. The movies, the food, even some of the clothes were exact copies of Earth. 

That had to mean only one thing.

In order to research what a Human needed, they’d have to go to Earth.

It was all starting to make sense!

Even though they had several Human things, televisions, dishwashers, sinks but they didn’t know that Humans fell in love slowly or that Humans usually don’t have more than one partner! They didn’t know that oceans on Earth had enormous animals that weighed a ton but didn’t have tentacles to pull you into your death. For one of the most educated Bellterran officials, Malone didn’t know that Lance and I weren’t in a relationship when she first met us. As a matter of fact, Malone didn’t really know much about Humans at all. All she knew was the language, what we looked like and how we functioned. It was like she had picked up a Biology book and cheesy romantic comedy to reference how humans worked. If what I was thinking was correct, that meant that there had to be a place where we could find information on this without anyone suspecting. At the very least, a library with information on all the creatures and infrastructure in Bellterr. Though I wasn’t comfortable with reading over hundreds of documents to get an answer, we’d have to learn something. Keeping a faster pace, I headed back to the apartment, sweat dripping down my forehead and skin covered in a thick layer of perspiration. 

Inside, Lance was cuddled deep in his blanket, arm clutched to his chest and brow pinched. Just yesterday, a nurse had come over and removed the final bandages and mechanical splint from his elbow. If Lance weren’t in an odd mood, he probably would have jumped for joy but instead, he just smiled and thanked the nurse, not even flirting with her once. When it was time for him to leave, the nurse explained the conditions to me since Lance wasn’t in the mood.

“He can’t hold a weapon yet,” the two foot alien grumbled, his oddly deep voice throwing me a bit off. Even though he was in a dress and had long purple hair, I didn’t know how I should speak to him. “No strength training or intense exercise for at least another week or the stitches will pop off.”

“I understand,” I murmured, crossing my arms. “After a week, we can begin sparring again?”

“Minimally, Human,” he grunted, shaking his head. “I performed his surgery and it’s a miracle his body has healed this well. If he stresses it too much, he can have permanent damage. I know you wouldn’t want that for your mate.”

“Uh, yeah, I wouldn’t want my...mate to um, to get hurt anymore,” I stammered, feeling a bit more embarrassed as the nurse finally smiled, revealing bright yellow teeth. 

“And I’m sure you’ve been waiting to have coitus since his injury, especially with young Humans like yourselves,” the Nurse winked, pushing the door open. I tried not to gasp as he chuckled. “Just be kind to his body. We don’t want to have to perform another surgery because you were too rough.”

“I-Ah-”

“No need to thank me,” the nurse smiled, following the guard and leaving.

 

I didn’t stop blushing for most of the day after that. Lance noticed but didn’t say anything since he was focused on not talking to me. No matter where I looked in our interactions at the beach, I couldn’t find where I had gone wrong. It was true that I had very few good beach memories. Dad tried to make me have fun even though it was only he and I but that meant that I couldn’t do much more than swim or tan. From what Hunk and Pidge told me about Lance, Lance was born right by the beach. He was always there when we had breaks from the Garrison and for how long he’s known Hunk, every year they went to a beach house. The beach matched Lance more than most people noticed. It was weird, but it always seemed like he smelled like the ocean. Not the seaweed or fish smell but the crisp waves and warm sun smell that stayed on your skin after being at the beach for a few hours. Then his skin was always sunkissed and it wasn’t from self tanner or a bottle, it was just how he was. His hair was also an odd color, almost like wet sand but deep enough to remind me of cold nights near the ocean. His greatest feature were his ocean eyes that were deep and flecked with all shades of blue. 

They were remarkable and magnetic.

They were the reason I had lost my way yesterday. I knew well enough that Lance would love the beach trip more than I would. He hadn’t stopped talking about going to a planet made of a beach since we had been to a planet made of fire and a planet made of lightning. Saying it was only fair, he begged Allura to stop at the water planet we had been to a while ago but Allura said we didn’t have the time. When I saw him spreading Nan over his skin, I wanted to just reach out and touch him. I knew that was probably weird for me to say, seeing as I wasn’t a very touchy feely person but it was Lance. That was all the guy did. When he rubbed Nan on me, I was afraid I would have another reaction like I had had that morning. It was already scary that I had...well, it was over and would probably never happen again since the drugs were out of system. Thankfully, I didn’t react but when Lance brought up sensitivity, I had to bolt. 

The rest of the afternoon melted away into calm and soothing conversations until I was idiotic enough to bring up my feelings. How was I supposed to explain my emotions without even understanding how I felt? Lance was a whole new animal that I had never met before. He wasn’t a simulation that I could redo just in case I messed up on something. He wasn’t Shiro, who had known me for so long that he could predict everything I did. To be honest, there were only a few feelings I felt before I met Lance. Simply put, I was a fairly boring person. Simple was better and easier than all these complex feelings I was feeling now. I wasn’t saying I was a doll without emotion but I hadn’t felt feelings towards a person in so long. My world revolved around my father, piloting and Shiro for so long that everything else didn’t matter. I knew of Lance in the Garrison, knew of his potential if he actually spent more time practicing rather than flirting but he had things I didn’t. He was charismatic and easy going, a person that brought other people together and most of all he was so forgiving. When he made crummy jokes about himself or horridly failed a simulator, he just laughed it off and tried to make anyone around him smile. If someone messed up something of his or did something by accident, he always forgave them. He’d joke about it in another anecdote later but that would only be so he could make the situation brighter. 

**He was magical in every way and so different from me.**

Sometimes it made me wonder if Lance was the reason I had gotten out of my shell and socialized with other people. If Lance hadn’t recognize me or made fun of me, I’d probably still be the lonely, intense guy that I was when we first met. Sitting there on the sand, looking out to the clear waters and feeling the cool breeze against my skin, I could only think of Lance. It was like I was surrounded by him and only him. The scent of sea water, sweat and the sweet hint of citrus was Lance’s distinct smell. It whipped through the air and surrounded me with light. It was hard not to think of him further when the blue Faris bugs surrounded me. Lance didn’t notice but red Faris had surrounded him as well. Some landed on his shoulders while others slid themselves between the waves of his hair. They were naturally attracted to him just like the rest of the world and just like me. 

I hadn’t lied when I said Lance was like a Magnet. 

The feeling I had felt was overwhelming as I watched him sit in his most natural element, surrounded by blazing red and looking as beautiful as he always had. It tugged at my heart and made my gut drop to my stomach as my throat ran dry. I felt sweat seep through my pores and my hands twitch with nerves and anticipation. I was worried and scared but compelled to just reach out and touch him. And just to my surprise, he had already reached out and touched me. 

I don’t remember what I was thinking or what I had said but my lips were on his and the taste….he tasted amazing. It was probably wrong to think that about someone who had no feelings about me but he was just…..I don’t know. When I had let him go, I saw the look of shock on his face and couldn’t think of anything more to say than the excuse I had.

**This was all for survival right?**

He really must have been uncomfortable with me kissing him because he hadn’t spoken to me since. That made me want to scream more than anything. Had I really misconstrued how he felt? Were those glances and constant hands nothing more than him just being his normal charismatic self? I didn’t want to move away from Lance and even though he was a knucklehead and didn’t always make the right decision, I knew I’d always have fun if we were together. I didn’t care if that meant me giving up a Lion or staying in outer space for the rest of my life. If that meant I could be around Lance, then I would do it.

“Hey, want to go to the main city with me?” I asked, face in the fridge and eyes far enough away that I wouldn’t see his disappointment. He didn’t answer immediately and I tried to act unaffected but I couldn’t stop my chest from shaking with nerves. “I wanted to head to the library...maybe pick up a tablet and do some research on a way out.”

“Por supuesto,” he sighed, causing me to turn my head. Picking at his nails, he continued. “Quieres inte lo antes posible idiota estupido y guapo.”

“You know I don’t speak Spanish right?”

“Si,”he smirked, lifting himself up and heading for his side of the hanging closet. He was walking a lot better than he had the day of the explosion. It was nice seeing him recover so well, especially without a healing pod. “Lo estoy haciendo a proposito.”

It was obvious that he was just pouting and upset so I ignored his small tantrum.

“You sang in Spanish when we were babysitting Zoey that time,” I sighed, thinking back to his tiny performance. “It was really nice hearing you sing.”

“Thanks.” 

“I didn’t know you had talents,” I blurted, immediately wanting to smack myself in the face but when he turned, nose scrunched and ears red, I knew I was probably fine. 

“I didn’t know you had talents,” he mocked, sticking his tongue out at me. “Sorry not all of us can be perfect.”

“I’m not perfect.”

“‘I’m such a great pilot I was first in my class just because my mullet was longer than everyone else's,’” he grumbled, crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the air. “Or, ‘I’m Shiro’s weird adoptive brother or something so I’ll go on all the cool missions with him.’”

“Well, maybe I am perfect,” I hummed, making the Paladin even more upset. “But I definitely can’t sing like you can. I barely can carry a note.”

“Good,” he huffed. “One more thing I’m better at than you.”

Struggling as he threw a shirt over his head, he grumbled more curses in Spanish before I cleared my throat. “Who, um, who taught you?”

“Talkative today aren’t we?” He grumbled, crossing his arms and puffing his cheeks.

“I just want to know more about you, that’s all,” I answered, watching as he slowly turned in my direction. His cheeks were tinged a little red from our arguing and his struggle to get dressed. Small hairs were pointing in different directions and he seemed fairly surprised at what I had said. “If that’s okay with you.”

“It would have to be for me to tell you, Mullet,” he grunted, walking to the bed and throwing himself on it. I didn’t dare sit beside him since I didn’t want him to be uncomfortable so I decided to sit at the small table. “Well, I guess the reason I can sing is because of Stella. The reason I can do a lot is because of Stella.” Sighing, he sat up. “The only reason I can sing is because Stella wanted to be the next Selena.”

“Selena?”

“She’s a legendary Spanish singer but that’s another story for another day,” he hummed, pressing a thumb against her lower lip. “Stella took dance classes, singing classes, even gymnastics. Mama thought it would be best that I do all of that with her and my PGTP. In the end, I earned my insane flexibility from dance, amazing singing voice from personal training and PGTP helped me realize I was a pretty damn good shot.”

Flexibility?

Well, I had seen him stretching before training sometimes and he could easily drop to touch his toes and even bend back to reach beneath his foot. Allura even commented about how he could fall into a split but I was too focused on training to really watch him do it. My face felt warm as I thought about his long legs spread flat and my hands-

Nope. Can’t think about that now.

“PGTP?”

“Pre-Garrison Training Program? Everyone had to do it to get into the Garrison unless you had a recommendation,” he responded, tilting his head. When I didn’t say anything, he grumbled. “Of course,  **you** would have a recommendation. Probably from Shiro or something.”

“Sometimes you are right about certain things,” I joked, standing. Nodding my head to the door, I said. “You didn’t answer me though. Are you coming?”

“Walking through the main city, flirting with girls while flaunting my surgery scars,” he pondered, pressing my a finger against his cheek. “I’m in.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Quieres inte lo antes posible idiota estupido y guapo: Of course you want to leave as soon as possible you stupid handsome idiot  
> lo estoy haciendo a proposito: I'm doing it on purpose  
> Si: yes (if you don't know that one I'm questioning your life......)
> 
>  
> 
> I just want you to know, I'm going to make Lance as close to canon as possible while realizing his Cuban side because I live in South Florida ie Little Havana and I think it's a crime that he hasn't glared at someone while whispering mierda. It's only right that I get him to say some stuff in Spanish or at least speak Spanglish.


	23. Chapter 23: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys can't say I don't love you because it's forty minutes into the New Year and I'm posting for you!

The streets were bustling with aliens of all types, smells, sizes and structures. Some of them were distinctly weird while others were as close to humanoid as possible. Lance and I had decided that it would best for either Ray or Malone to escort us around since our situation was so sensitive and someone was after our lives. We were still being hunted and still didn’t know the customs of Bellterr but we would learn if someone was with us. Ray was the only one available and he had Zoey by his side to babysit. Neither Lance nor I minded since she was fairly easy but I worried more about her safety than anything. We were still being watched by someone and unless they were convinced that we weren’t lying about our ‘Partnership’ everyone else around us was in danger. Fortunately for us, the tiny Sephyr was unafraid, pigtails flowing in the light breeze and lollipop shoved into her mouth. When we arrived off of the pod to the city center, people around us immediately began to whisper amongst each other, some even glaring. Just the looks we received made me uncomfortable and almost walk back to the pod but Lance took it all in strides.

“I know, we’re amazing!” He shouted, waving his hands in the air and even bowing. Pointing to a nearby row of barmaids, he winked, firing his finger guns. “Ladies, you’re looking marvelous today!”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Ray chuckled, muttering something else in a language I didn’t understand. Grabbing for Lance’s arm, he continued. “You and Keith are together, right? At least that is what Malone said and after the kiss, I can only do the assuming.”

“I mean, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I have to stay with him all day,” Lance groaned, shaking Ray’s arm off of him. Smiling to Zoey, he stood to glare at me. I felt myself shrink a bit as he looked back to Ray. “Keith’s a big boy and I want to have some fun.”

“It actually does mean that,” Ray sighed, pulling me by the arm. Reaching for my hand, he placed Lance’s hand in mine, the calluses of his palm touching my fingertips. “If you don’t stick with each other, people will think you are unmated, going through problems or aren’t, what’s the word?......Exclusive.”

“Good, we **aren’t** exclusive, so that solves that,” Lance chirped, tugging his hand from mine. It felt like tape was being ripped from my arm as Lance placed his hands on his hips. “Sometimes Humans have a wonderful way of not being together all the time. It’s called space.”

“That doesn’t seem like a very loving relationship,” Ray pondered, looking to me for help. I wanted to say something but Lance had already gone to the humanoids, taking the extra effort of waving his long arms and shouting. 

“We don’t have one of those loving relationships, I guess,” I muttered, looking out to the town. Everything around me reminded me of the space mall except there was no ceiling or mall cop to chase after us. White walls from huge skyscrapers surrounded us and speciality shops had bright, flashing signs. Bars and eateries had hosts standing outside waving plastic signs and delivery bots on hoverboards. The streets were occupied by aliens and their pets alike, some bigger than most buildings while others were small enough to fit in their bags. Though there were many buildings, there still seemed to be enough space for beautiful, green gardens and parks for children to play in. Nodding my head to Ray, I sighed. “Or a standard relationship either.”

“You don’t seem confident about what you are saying,” Ray responded, pointing to a set of floating chairs by a bar. Shrugging my shoulders I followed him, nearly dying as I tried to sit in the chair. “Has something happened between you and Lance?”

“.....No,” I answered, slowly and not at all convincing. Ray was a weird..alien person thing but he knew I wasn’t confident in my answer and so did Zoey. Feeling my discomfort, she looked to her dad and pointed to the park, mumbling a ‘Papa’. Ray nodded, allowing the little one to run to the park to play. When he was sure she was gone, he looked to me with a slow eye roll. “What.”

“I think kissing at the beach is definitely something people in good relationships do,” he hummed, a shit eating grin on his face. I gaped at him for a moment but quickly shut my mouth to look away from him. I knew that if I said anything, he would probably make fun of me, or worse, make me tell him why I kissed Lance. I didn’t even know the answer to that and I was sure it was breaking some rule telling Ray before I told Lance. “It was rather entertaining to see you kiss him like that. It had a lot of the Human loving emotion.”

“I didn’t, I mean, we’ve done that a lot before,” I responded, crossing my arms and finding a trash bug climbing the back of a pod more interesting than this conversation. It wasn’t lying if I believed masturbating to the sound of my ‘partners’ voice was a part of a loving relationship, right? “We’ve done loads of things with Human emotion.”

“Such as?”

“Th-That’s private,” I grumbled, quickly getting annoyed with the conversation. 

“Malone and I have long conversations while watching the stars. Sometimes it’s about how beautiful our children are or the mistakes we made in our courting,” Ray inserted, crossing his legs and coiling his tail through his fingers. “We even bring out the photographs on our tabs and eat our favorite foods together.” Grinning from ear to ear, he raised his hands up to the sky, looking at the “Things like that are small but proof we love each other. What proof is there that you and Lance love each other?”

Proof?

What was it with these aliens and needing proof of love?

Why couldn’t they just say okay and move on? That’s what everyone else on Earth did. No one questioned if you liked someone, they just said ‘Congratulations’ and quickly went about their lives. People didn’t even care if you didn’t have someone to love!

“Lance and I can...we can argue about anything,” I responded, immediately feeling stupid for saying it. Lance was better at this type of thing and I already wished he was here with me. Wait...did I just admit that? I shouldn’t do that. “It’s like Lance and I run on the same frequency.”

“How does arguing help your relationship?”

“Um..”

“Keith,” Ray sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder. Tugging me a bit closer, he forced me to look him in the eye. “If you two are having problems you know you can always come to Malone and I.”

“We aren’t having problems.”

“The first step to a better relationship is admitting that you are having issues, Keith.”

“ **We aren’t having issues.** ”

“Communication is also key-”

“Lance and I are fine!” I shouted, disturbing several people around us. Feeling more embarrassed than I should have been, I quickly sat back down. Ray looked at me sympathetically, twiddling his red tail between his fingers. “Look, you don’t have to worry about us.”

“I’m not as worried about Lance as I am worried about you,” he sighed, leaning back. “ You seem, how do you say it in the English? Conflicted? Confused?”

“I’m not conflicted,” I groaned, leaning forward. Tugging at the gloves on my hand, I looked to the spot where Lance was standing. He was still chatting up the group of girls that he met earlier. His hand was carting through his brown hair as he winked and reached out to tug on one of the girls tentacles playfully. Something burned inside of me at the thought of him touching the girl as if they were friends. Of course, the tentacle girl giggled and reached for the hem of Lance’s signature jacket, pulling him even closer than he already was. Lance’s faced flushed and I felt myself get nauseous. That’s when I felt a hand on my wrist. Looking down, I realized that I had stood up, hands balled tight into fists against my thighs. Ray’s concerned glance only made me more self aware. “What?”

“Why are you upset?” Ray asked, standing beside me. Pointing towards the person of my frustration, he continued. “There is nothing about that that should frustrate you. As Lance put it, you both are not exclusive.”

“That’s not the problem here,” I growled, crossing my arms. Leaning against the wall, I huffed. “He’s always like this!”

“Always like what?”

“Always having his attention on everything else other than the mission!” I grumbled, readjusting my arms over my chest. “It’s like he can’t focus on whatever we’re supposed to be doing! You know, he nearly lost his lion because of something like this and I knew I should have given him a piece of my mind because if he just would have paid attention to the mission, and our teammates and-”

“You?” 

“Me, wait, no, I don’t mean me, I’m just saying that he should have stayed with the team,” I retorted, looking away from the Sephyr. “He’s always rambling about team this and team that but he never looks at how he breaks us apart.” Nibbling on the inside of my cheek, I tried to stay calm but it was like everything was eating its way into my chest. “Every mission, he goes with Pidge and Hunk with smiles but when he’s stuck with me, all he does is complain. He never stops flirting with Allura, even when Allura obviously hates it and when Shiro touches him, he acts like he’s a celebrity! He acts like he hates me and always makes fun of me! I don’t get him!”

“Hm,” Ray responded, stretching his arms above his head. He took a moment to think over what I had said and I instantly felt like I gave way too much information than I should have. I was going to tell him to forget it but he swung his arms at his side and said,“Well, it is true we do not have the time for the flirtings today. We must head to the library before it closes.” Taking a step forward, he continued. “I’ll go get Lance.”

“No,” I muttered, placing my hand on his shoulder. “I’ll get him.”

“Okay.”

Long strides and nearly bumping into every alien between me and my destination, I found myself staring at his back. It was true that he was a few centimeters, or maybe even inches taller than me, something he joked about unrelentlessly. His broad shoulders were cocked back under his army green jacket and the hood was disheveled because of the ridiculously tanned fingers of the girl whispering in his ear. When I walked up, the girl’s double lidded eyes glanced up at me as a smile grew on her lips. Whispering something else into his ear, I watched Lance’s neck turn red and his hands reach up to grab onto the girl’s waist, only making me more upset. Snatching the girls hand off of his shoulder, I used my other hand to whip Lance in my direction. I was all but prepared to scream the idiots face off, but as soon as he turned, I was caught in those sparkling blue eyes again. They were wide with shock and his mouth was open to rebuttal but neither one of us said anything. The girl was the first to break the silence.

“Lancey Lance?” The girl whimpered, her voice pitched and shrill. “Why is this little thing touching me?”

Looking down to my hand on her wrist, Lance immediately pushed me back, a bit rougher than I appreciated. “Sorry, love. He was just worried about me. No harm done.”

“To hell with worrying,” I grumbled, reaching for his arm. “We have to go to the-”

“Lancey Lance is going to take us all to the Gremleek Bar on a date,” the whiny girl shrilled, batting her green lashes and twirling a blue tentacle. Reaching a webbed finger out to touch my shoulder, she hummed. “No pale, ugly pipsqueaks allowed.”

“What did you say-” I started, nearly reaching out to push her against the wall but I was stopped as Lance wrapped an arm over my shoulder, tugging me closer to his side. I could feel my cheeks burn as a blush ran up cheeks and shivers flew down my spine. This close, I could smell the sea that always seemed to cling to Lance’s skin. The torn sleeves of his jacket let light hit tanned skin and his favorite grey and blue long sleeve was nearly seared into my mind. Lance was so familiar and so clear in this moment that I almost forgot to breath. Almost. “Lance?”

“No one calls Keith ugly or a pipsqueak,” Lance growled, tugging me a little closer. “Well, no one except me.”

And the moment was lost.

There was the Lance I knew and... **knew**.

“We were having such a great moment until you added that,” I grumbled, pinching him on his waist. He chuckled but immediately looked to the group of girls with an upturned lip.

“I’m sorry to say this but the only date I have tonight is with Keith, my partner,” he hummed, a smile growing on his face as he pushed his bangs up his face. “After all, I only date the pretty ones.”

“Gah! I thought you said you weren’t mated to anyone?” The girl spat, goo oozing from the ends of her tentacles as her face turned red. Lance and I took a step back, both out of safety and being utterly grossed out. “This puny hooman can’t be better than us!”

“It’s human, idiot,” I retorted, boldy reaching up to intertwine my fingers with his. It must have shocked him a bit because he jumped but as soon as the worn leather of my gloves touched the pads of his hands, he tightened the lock on my fingers.  Leaning my head into his chest for extra effect, I tried to give the best smug smile I could muster. “Like he said, I’m his partner.”

Dripping goo and shedding tears the girl stomped her foot and was dragged away by shocked friends bringing more attention to herself than to us. Almost immediately, Lance and I burst into laughter, each holding onto the other for support. I was sure Lance didn’t notice but he didn’t let go of my hand as he laughed, slowly tugging me closer as he chuckled. Finally, Ray trotted across the street careful not to accidentally hit another person. With a big smile on his face and tail flicking behind him, he said, “What are the two of you laughing about?”

“The fact that Keith just got jealous of me flirting with a random alien girl,” he chuckled, clutching at his stomach with both hands. I was a little sad that he had let me go to do so but I was more embarrassed that I had actually been jealous of the girls vying for his attention. 

“I wasn’t jealous,” I huffed, moving to push his shoulder so he would nearly fall over onto his face. “I was saving you.”

“Hey!” He sputtered, regaining his balance and reaching out to do the same to me. I quickly dodged it and watched as he narrowly fell into the wall. “Just admit that you were jealous that those girls were giving me the attention instead of giving it to you.”

“What? You thought I was, wow, you are so,” I growled, moving away from him. Looking to Ray, I asked, “Which way to the library?”

“So you’re just going to ignore me!” Lance shouted but I did just that.

“Ray?”

“Oh, um, it is around this Yakstravel,” he muttered, pointing to a corner at the end of the street. Peering over his shoulder to me, he had a particularly disappointed look on his face. “Are you not going to wait for Lance?”

“Why should I? He was obviously doing good on his own,” I grumbled, walking towards the corner. Just as I was about to take the turn, I ran straight into a hoverbike, nearly falling over it. Standing up, I noticed the smallest scratch from my boots near the hoverpads. Looking up to apologize I was met with a behemoth of an alien towering over me, his shadow covering my own entirely.

He stood at eight or so feet tall and was covered in bulky muscle. His vibrant purple skin was thrumming with veins and fur, other areas protected by skin tight, black clothing. Nothing was left to the imagination either as he flexed every muscle with the slightest movement. His face looked smashed in and tattoos were covering nearly every visible piece of skin. Sharp, black tusks coiled from his mouth and hooked just at the bottom of his jaw making him look like a bull.  Shouting something unintelligible, he reached down to me and grabbed my shoulder, lifting me with one hand

“Hey!” I grumbled, moving to grab my Bayard from my pocket but I felt a hand grab mine. I turned my head to find Ray and Zoey looking up at me with worry in their eyes. “What are you doing!”

“Fighting is not allowed in Bellterr, Keith,” Ray replied, a sheepish smile on his face. Looking up to the alien, he waved his hands, speaking in another language. He must have said something that upset the guy because the thing took a step towards Ray with dangerous intent. His eyes focused on Ray, I was finally able to struggle out of his hold, dropping to the ground. Lance must have showed up just moments after because he was able to give his two cents as usual.

“Keith, you don’t have to be a- **HOLY COW WHAT IS THAT**!” 

“He is a known relative of the Yupper species,” Ray answered, looking to say something else but was quickly interrupted by its shouting.

**“LAKA!”**

“Coming Thrashra!” Moving just behind the large man was a creature with long black hair pulled into long pigtails. It was a women, I guess, since she seemed to have something on her chest and curves around her waist. She was barely wearing any clothes and the moment she arrived, she draped a purple hand onto the creature that had lifted me up with one arm. Looking me up and down, she gasped. “If it isn’t the Red Champion!”

“Red Champion?”

“It is the names that you and Lance earned from the battles,” Ray explained, shooing Zoey behind him. Looking to Laka, he said. “Keith was trying to apologize for hitting Thrashra’s hoverbike.”

“You know that’s not enough, Ray,” Laka tsked, her sharp fangs dipping into her lower lip in a teasing grin. Turning to Thrashra, she smiled, tugging his arm like a child tugging Santa’s sleeve. The lug leaned down, letting the much smaller women speak in his ear. Something she said must have peaked his interest because he quickly nodded his head, large ears flapping against his ear. “Thrashra and I agreed that if the Blue Champion allows me to have the Red Champion for a night we can forgive him.”

“There will be no having of anything, whatever your name is,” Lance interceded, moving to stand in front of me. I was shocked to see his shoulders square and his hand grab for my forearm. I was tempted to yank my arm back but didn’t as Lance glared up at Thrashra, his hand like iron against my skin. “He’s my partner.”

“And Thrashra, my father, is looking for a partner for me,” Laka replied, leaning against the hoverbike. “So Thrashra won’t disembowel and eat you, I suggest you give me your partner for a small taste.” Moving to a stand, she swayed her hips and raised a hand to touch Lance’s face. “I noticed that you were flirting with the other species in the marketplace. I’m sure you won’t need to worry too much.”

“That’s all it was,” he replied, moving from her reach. “Flirting.”

“Then prove your love for your partner,” she chuckled, lightly pushing Lance in the shoulder. When I took a step forward, Thrashra growled in warning. “Let’s make a bet.”

“It depends on what we’re betting on,” Ray commented, moving to stand next to Lance. I didn’t like how the two of them were trying to protect me and really didn’t appreciate the gleam in Laka’s eyes. Zoey had settled herself against my leg, glaring up at the two staring her Father down. She looked just as defiant as they did.

“The Red Champion of course,” Laka answered, waving a hand to her father. “If the Blue Champion can beat Thrashra the Devourer in a hoverbike race, we will forgive you two for scratching the bike. I heard you two are pilots.”

“And if Thrashra wins?”

“Then Father can eat the Blue Champion and the Red Champion becomes mine,” she giggled, nibbling excitingly at her lower lip.

“No way! No deal,” I jumped, pushing past the two. “Why can’t I just pay you for the smudge or do something else?”

“Do you have so little faith in your partner, Red Champion?” Laka teased, reaching over to touch my face. I grabbed her hand, as tightly as I could, before she could touch me. That only made her smile grow, swiftly tugging her hand from mine.

“You know as well as I do that Lance is hurt from our first battle.”

“Oh, the frailty of the Human race is pitiable,” she mocked, looking over my shoulder to Lance. I followed her gaze to the Paladin, sad to see that his usually confident smile was gone as he looked to the ground. I wanted to comfort him but Laka was moving dangerously close to me. “How about I move the bet to your favor?”

“What do you have in mind?” Ray asked, lifting Zoey into his arms. The toddler was glaring hard in Laka’s direction, obviously feeling the tension in the air. 

“Blue Champion can have his Red ride right behind him. The race will be at the tournaments coliseum of course for all over Bellterr to see,” she hummed, tapping away at her identity band. “He will use a bike that the King provides so you don’t assume that we’ve cheated and it will only be a single lap.”

“The King?” I muttered, unsure of what she meant.

“That is what’s going on,” Ray grumbled, looking to his band as well.

“What are you talking about?” Lance asked, glancing to his band.

“Our mighty King has asked for some entertainment today and I have chosen you,” Laka giggled, tapping on the hologram screen. “It’s only fitting since you’ve both healed so well.”

Looking down to my band, I read the invitation.

**Race between the Blue Champion and the Secondary**

**Kupper Champion Prince Thrashra.**

**The King will be Present to judge the Winner.**

 

“Our King will judge who wins and Bellterr will have it’s entertainment for the day,” she explained, closing her band. Patting Thrashra on the shoulder, she waited as he climbed onto his hoverbike. Joining him, she peered over her shoulder. “If you don’t attend, I automatically win. Wouldn’t that be very boring?”

“I’ll see you on the track,” Lance growled, body physically shaking.

“I hope to see you soon, my new bed partner!” Laka shouted, staring me down with an intense glare that only made my stomach curl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR MY LOVELIES!  
> I hope all of your dreams come true, whether that be, finding love, travelling the world or simple things like Klance being Canon hehe!  
> Anywho, I do apologize for the delays! I literally had so much going on last year lol, Noche Buena was at my house this year, Christmas was filled with wrapping gifts and then two days later my mom was in the hospital slated for surgery! She just got back so I didn't really have the time to think or even edit! Thank you for your patience dears and I hope you guys are ready for a little more well deserved action!


	24. Chapter 24: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the year of the bow wow's and I'm feeling awfully close to this cause I LOVE DOGS MORE THAN I LOVE PEOPLE

**The day probably couldn’t get any worse than this.**

First, Keith drags me to the Market in the middle of town. Then, I lose a date with some smoking hot alien girls that my pick up lines actually worked on. To add on to my troubles, I try to protect Keith’s honor and he just acts like a total douchebag and doesn’t appreciate it! Since he was pissed at me for whatever reason, he runs into a stupid Yupper 2.0’s hoverbike and then the things daughter wants Keith as her plaything. Since we couldn’t have that, we’re stuck in the same ridiculous dressing room, tugging our battle gear on so we could head out to same battlefield that nearly killed us the last time. 

I was still ridiculously sore and the pins just came out this morning but I would have to push through it no matter what. It was Keith’s own fault that we got into this mess and I could feel the tension radiating around him. He was worried about something and I knew  it probably had something to do with me racing. I was sure he had his doubts about me piloting well enough to win, especially after not being able to do anything other than stretch the past few days. Keith’s life was also at risk since he was riding with me and even if he tried to hide it, he wasn’t exactly at one hundred percent.  Glancing up to the man sitting across from me, I tried to lighten the mood.

“At least this time it wasn’t me who got us in trouble,” I muttered, chuckling halfheartedly. 

That’s a great conversation starter, Mclain. Irritate the Mullet even more….

Keith didn’t even look up as he finished clamping his boots and adjusting his shoulder pads into a more comfortable spot. Testing his Bayard, he finally reached up and pulled his hair into low ponytail, fringe fluffing out in front as he did so. I had to swallow the lump in my throat at the sight of his hair in a ponytail but now wasn’t the time to get horny. Watching him fix his armor and tug at tighter areas, I tried again.

“Are you just going to ignore me?”

“No,” he answered, simply. 

“Is your mullet clogging your ears again?”

“No.”

“Then why the heck aren’t you answering me!” I grumbled, slamming my helmet onto the seat beside me. Keith finally glanced up at me but there was a strange lack of fire in his eyes. He looked exhausted and ready to nearly pass out.

“Maybe I don’t feel like dealing with your jokes right now,” he responded, reaching for his own helmet. “I’m not exactly in the mood.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in the mood or not. We should talk about what’s going to happen,” I replied, moving to stand but Keith didn’t say anything as he looked at the ground. “Maybe make a strategy, think about the usual stuff we always do before a mission.” When he didn’t respond, I stomped my foot into the ground out of frustration. “Come on, buddy! I’m trying to work with you here!”

“What’s the point of working with me!” He growled, the sound echoing through the room. I stared down at the man with wide eyes as those irises burned a menacing violet. “Stop acting like everything’s going to be okay! It’s not!”

“Everything  **is** going to be okay-”

“No it’s not!” He shouted, throwing his helmet across the room in frustration. I tried not to flinch or look at the helmet fly as he worked through his tantrum. He looked like a rubber band that just snapped and his shoulders were still tense as he breathed heavily. “You’re injured and I can’t pilot for you! If you lose, Thrashra can kill you and I’ll have to be a-be a, I don’t even know!”

“Why do you think I’m going to lose?” I responded, trying not to sound too hurt over his doubt. “Don’t forget that I’m a Paladin just like you and a pretty damn good pilot!”

Sighing, he started pacing, hands balled in fists at his waist. “I know you’re a Paladin but you’re great when you’re healthy! You aren’t healthy right now!”

“That’s never stopped me from being a Paladin, Keith!” 

That seemed to silence Keith as he was met with a wall. Literally. Slamming an open hand against the wall, he pressed his forehead against the surface, eyes closed as he breathed. I could see that he was struggling with this and I wanted to understand him more but pushing him too far would only make him close off.

“Keith,” I muttered, moving slowly to stand beside him. He didn’t move but nodded his head as I leaned against the wall beside him. “If you don’t believe in me, I might as well just ask Thrashra to kill me.”

“No!” Keith jumped, turning to grab my arm. I flinched at his tight grip but tried not to show it too much as I looked down to him. “It’s not that I don’t believe in you, it’s just, I don’t like the feeling I’m getting.”

“What feeling?”

“Th-This feeling that I can’t protect you,” he replied, his grip loosening just a bit. “That’s all I’ve tried to do and it seems like we’re still getting into trouble.”

“I’ve always been a handful,” I noted but Keith wasn’t amused.

“This isn’t something to joke about, Lance!”

“I’m sorry, I know you’re being serious,” I apologized, reaching up to pat Keith on the shoulder. It didn’t deter his mood though as he released me and moved back to his initial spot on bench, throwing himself down with a huff. “Think, if I lose you get to be a hot alien’s playmate.”

“I don’t want her,” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. To prove his nerves, he crossed his legs as well. It was a cute trait but only proved that he was actually nervous. “I don’t need her either.”

“I know you want all of this but you’ll have to wait until after I kick the other guys ass,” I joked, trying to ignore the heat rising up my neck and the pride burning in my chest. I immediately focused on changing the subject, rather than dealing with my emotions. “I wonder what my prize would be if I won.”

Keith grumbled something that sounded a bit too whispered for the usual Keith. When I looked down, I saw his face burst red before he covered his face with his gloved hands. 

“What did you say?”

“Nothing,” he blurted, waving his hands in front of his face but I couldn’t stop myself from wondering.

“What are you, scared?”

“I’m not scared!”

“Then tell me what you said!”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” he huffed, standing to grab his helmet. Stuffing it under his arm, he turned to the door with tense shoulders. Placing his hand on the door he waited for the band to beep before pushing. The sounds of the audience and rev of the hover bikes were echoing throughout the halls. “Let’s just hurry up and get this over with.”

“You could be a little more encouraging, Mullet,” I grumbled, sliding my helmet onto my head. Keith followed suit, linking our coms immediately. “Maybe if you say, ‘Lance, you’re such an amazingly handsome Pilot and definitely better than me’, I’ll probably be able to win.”

“Not a chance,” he retorted.

“Worth a try.”

  
  


The arena was rocking.

Thousands of aliens, young and old, were packed into the coliseum by the droves, dare I say, more packed than it was before. There were also more screens with nearly every angle of the studio in our sight. A special VIP area was placed off to the side with dark curtains covering the figures that resided inside. I knew well enough that it was probably the King, whoever that person may be. I could only hope that the other councilmen were there as well. This could even kill two birds with one stone and allow us to meet the King and get the hell out of here. 

 

The crowds screamed louder as an unknown announcer dropped a spotlight on us. **“Welcome the Red and Blue Champions! Lance and Keith!”** Smoke erupted from out of nowhere as red and blue lights circled around us onto the nearby track. The dome of the coliseum was very different then how it was when we arrived on the first day. The multiple terrains were made into a simple flat track. Everything looked bigger and longer as well. Before, the inside of the arena looked about a mile long but now it looked double that. This one lap would be a long one and I doubted the Yupper pair would allow the race to only be riding. 

To be frank, I wished Keith were the one driving today.

Sure, I was a pilot and a Paladin for sure but I wasn’t an avid hoverbike racer when I was back on Earth. The closest I had come to riding one of those was on a game simulator at the arcade. It seemed fairly simple, though. Keep balance, don’t speed through corners and try not to fall off.

And don’t lose Keith.

**“Welcoming the Challengers, the Kupper Clan! Thrashra the Devourer and Laka the Cunning!”**

I thought the crowd was cheering hard for us. 

The moment Laka and Thrashra walked into the spotlight, the audience made the arena shake. Laka was dressed in a jumpsuit that still left her sculpted midsection to show and had placed riding goggles on her forehead. Her father hadn’t changed any of his clothes and looked ready to slice something in half, probably me if I was honest. His tusks were freshly polished and drool was running down his cheek. When Laka peered in our direction, she blew a kiss, probably to Keith. A click brought my attention from her to Keith beside me.

“They seem confident,” he remarked, crossing his arms. “They must not know.”

“Must not know what?”

“Who they’re dealing with,” he responded, the sound warming my chest. I could see the smug smile on his face right now, even if his helmet was on. His confidence in me was enough to push my pride aside and reach a balled fist in his direction Keith turned to me, tilting his head in question. 

“Fist bump, Mullet,” I chuckled, watching him awkwardly reach out and bump his fist against mine. The crowd seemed to enjoy that small display, some raising large flags in distinct reds and blues, a few even had the Voltron insignia on them. 

“Aw, look, you’re bonding!” A familiar shrill voice said causing Keith and I to look up. Laka had walked over while Thrashra began to set up his hoverbike. “You should get in the last kiss before my Father kills you and I get to keep the Red Champion as mine.”

“ **He’s mine, Laka,** ” I snarled, glaring her down but the Kapper was unfazed.

“Don’t worry,” she smiled, licking her lips. “I’ll treat him like my little pet while your rotting in your grave.”

“Were you born with all this confidence or does it just come naturally?” I commented, reaching my hand out to hold Keith’s. Thankfully, Keith didn’t pull away and I led him past Laka. Pulling the shield of my mask up, I glared in Laka’s direction. “Better get one more look at Keith because after today, we won’t be seeing either of you ever again.”

“Is that a promise?” She smiled, her smug grin infuriating me. Keith reached for the shield of his helmet as I dragged him towards the spot where our bike stood. It was a fairly large hoverbike, black in color and fitted with four anti-gravity pads. The bike was a sweet number, retrofitted to fit both Keith and I on it comfortably without sitting near the boosters. There weren’t too many buttons and as Keith and I walked up, we spotted Zoey climbing onto the seat.

**“KEEF! LANCE!”**

“Zoey?” Keith said, tugging his helmet off. A brilliant grin appeared on his face as he let go of my hand and reached for Zoey. The tiny Sephyr jumped from the seat into Keith’s arms, snuggling up to his chest as she giggled. “What are you doing here?”

“We planned on cheering for you from down here but we learned we weren’t allowed just a moment ago,” someone said just on the other side of the bike. Glancing up, I found Ray and Malone leaning against the bike, the twins nowhere in sight. Malone continued to speak as Ray held her close. “The bike is the simplest form we have on the planet and we decided to check it before we returned to the King’s seat.”

“Though it is simple, that does not mean that it’s any slower than Thrashra’s,” Ray added, patting it with the back of his hand. “The King said that there is only one boost on both your bike and Thrashra’s so it is based entirely on skill.”

“That’s a relief,” Keith responded, placing Zoey onto the ground. 

“This does not mean that he will not try something else,” Malone said, her smile wavering a bit. “You must be diligent and don’t take unnecessary risks.”

“Oh, that’s going to be hard,” I mumbled, glancing to Keith. The Sephyrs looked confused as I tried to explain. “Keith here is a ‘Take any risk to complete the Mission’, sort of guy.”

“I’m not risky,” he muttered, cocking his hip to the side. “I know what I’m doing when I do it.”

“Says the guy that broke into a Garrison controlled area and stole Shiro.”

“That was necessary!”

“Or the guy that decided when we infiltrated a Galra station to walk around alone and fight a Druid by himself.”

“I wasn’t-”

“Or the guy who tried to leave with the Princess in the middle of nowhere and nearly kill all of us because we couldn’t form Voltron.”

“Shut up!” Keith growled, scrunching his shoulders as I laughed at him. It seemed to lighten his mood as Malone and Ray checked the bike one last time. 

“It seems you are both ready for the challenge then,” Malone said, patting my shoulder as she looked to us. Suddenly, her face turned dark as a small smile was all that was plastered on her face. “Thrashra is known for his aggressive racing and Laka will do anything to win. Be very careful my friends.”

“We will,” Keith responded, trying to give a reassuring smile. Ray picked up Zoey and allowed me to give her a final kiss on the cheek before they left the arena through a side door. This left Keith and I to stand just beside the bike, Keith a little apprehensive to get on. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I just,” he started but quickly shut his mouth.

“You’ve got to tell me what’s going on, Keith,” I said, moving my foot from the step ladder. Placing my hands on his shoulder, I forced him to look at me. His eyes looked like they were wavering just like his confidence and possibly glassing over. I’d never tell him but he looked like he was about to cry. “What’s going on?”

“We don’t have time for this, Lance?”

“We always have time to talk,” I huffed, chuckling a bit as he glared up at me. 

“You know what I mean….”

“I do, but I don’t like you being like this,” I responded, pulling him close to me. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I let my head rest on his forehead, delighting in the sound of his slow breathing. I hoped he couldn’t hear my heart racing through the metal armor and undershirt but if he did, he didn’t say anything. It took him a few moments to respond but he wrapped his arms around me with sigh. “Are you worried?”

He nodded.

“Are you scared?”

A moments pause but a curt nod followed.

“Do you trust me?”

“‘Course.”

“Then we’re the same,” I smiled, lifting my head from his. Pulling away just enough for his face to be in view, I chuckled. “I’m worried and scared but I trust you more than anyone. As long as you have my back, nothing can stop us.” Pinching his cheek, I watched his nose scrunch before a frustrated huff and warning glare made me let go. “Now, stop making me be the strong and reckless one when you’re the leader of Voltron.”

Chuckling with me, he smiled, fierceness burning back into those lavender eyes. Moving too fast for me to see, he punched me square in the shoulder, my good one, thankfully. 

“Ow!”

“Your pain makes me feel a lot better now,” he joked, sliding his helmet back on. 

“Was that really necessary?”

“What were you expecting, a good luck kiss?”

“Actually, yeah!” I grumbled, clutching my shoulder in my arm. “A kiss would have been nice!” I heard him laugh over communications as a bell tolled through the arena.

**“Champions! Mount your Hoverbikes!”**

“I guess it’s that time,” Keith said, ushering for me to get on first.

“Are you always this poetic?” 

“Shut up.”

Laughing, I hopped onto the bike seat, careful to leave enough space for Keith to slide on. The seat wasn’t as big as I had assumed it was going to be, especially since my legs were a little on the longer side. As Keith easily hopped on, I felt his hip bump against my backbone. “Whoa there! Aren’t you a little close?”

“Do you want me to fall off?”

“Can I not answer that…”

“Why was I left on a planet with an idiot?” Keith groaned, wrapping his arms around my waist and plopping his head on my shoulder. It was kind of adorable and if we weren’t in a near death situation, I would have joked about it. “Are you going to put your hand on the bars or are you planning to use that small brain to drive it?”

“Your sarcasm isn’t necessary,” I retorted, reaching out to grab the bars. The console bloomed alight as my thumb accidentally hit a button. The symbols were fairly simple but the functions were different from the Lions. The Lions didn’t have a pedal or bars that were this far apart and even if Red and Blue were essentially siblings, certain parts were different from each other. This bike was nearly foreign to me and I was really out of my element. “Whoa….”

“Can I guess by you finally shutting your mouth that you’ve never drove a hoverbike before?”

“Uhhh, possibly, you know, I lived at the beach-”

“We’re doomed,” Keith sighed, sitting back. “You’re going to die.”

“Keith!”

“What? It’s hard to learn how to drive a hoverbike in time,” he explained, laying his hands against his thighs. That simple movement made him slide further down and his crotch was pressed firmly against my ass. Something foreign burned in the bottom of my stomach but now wasn’t a good time for this, even if I wanted to get a little action before I died. That was only fair right?

“Just give me a quick explanation and I should be good,” I responded, testing the right pedal. That was something I probably shouldn’t have done because it jolted us forward.

“Hey! Stop!” Keith shouted, nearly blowing my eardrum. Grasping my waist, he slid even closer so he could see the bars. Resting one hand on my lap and the other pointing to the screen, he explained as much as he could.“Look, it’s simple. Right pedal is the gas, left the brake. If you turn the right bar back, it goes in reverse and if you turn the left forward, you accelerate.”

“Oh, that’s not so bad, it’s kind of like a car!”

“Sure,” he replied, curtly. “Now for the balance. For turns, you have to slow down and the pedal isn’t going to help you. You have to turn the left and right bars opposite of each other so the hoverbike pads go in reverse. That slows you down. Leave the angle to me, I’ll turn my hips in the direction we need to go and you just follow.”

“‘Kay”

“And lastly, the boost.” Reaching under my arm, he pressed some buttons on the console, somehow figuring out how to display the gauges, settings and speedometer. “I’ll tell you when to press the boost. It says here it lasts ten ticks so we have to be careful.”

“Got it,” I said, looking down at the console for more information, that’s when Keith’s hands slid back to my waist, hanging low on my hips. “Keith? We’ll be fine…..right?”

“It’s like someone really dumb said to me a few moments ago,” he responded, pulling me closer. Resting his head against my back, I felt the slide of his helmet against my shoulder blade. **“I trust you.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELLL LETTTT TTHHEEEE GAMESSSSS BEGINNNNNNNN
> 
>  
> 
> O btw, I got a comment just a bit ago from someone saying that the reason I don't get a lot of comments is because I don't post enough..... please let me know if that's the reason why. I do have a life but I can maybe try a little harder to get it to you guys. Your comments help me out! Thanks


	25. Chapter 25: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JUST UMMMMMM sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter cause I was feeling generous

The cheers were deafening even as we were summoned to the center of the arena. Everything had been so fast and for once I wanted it all to slow down. Lance was shaking and I could feel how hard as he reached for my hand. Our fingers were so used to intertwining and it was practically embedded in my system to want to be closer to him.

Especially now.

  
  


**“Champions! Start your Engines!”**

“You have to kick start so press your thumb against the right button and rev the pedal,” I explained, smiling when Lance got it right. It was odd seeing Lance in this position and it made me want to hug him tighter. He had admitted to being afraid and worried but he also believed in my ability to help. It must have been hard for him to admit that he needed me, especially now. When Thrashra and Laka pulled up beside us, I was sure Lance was thrumming with anticipation. I knew I was and I could feel the adrenaline burning through me and I wanted nothing more than to stamp that smirk on Laka’s face. Though Thrashra’s bike was bigger than ours, our bike looked more aerodynamic. 

**“Alright fans are you ready!”**

The cheers intensified and the audience jumped to their feets as anticipation finally grew to an all time high. My heart was racing and I was sure I could feel Lance’s blood thrumming beneath my fingers. Confidence was teeming off Lance to the point it was palpable and as the countdown started, Lance pressed a sure hand against mine, one last squeeze before we defeated Thrashra and Laka.

**“3……….2………..1…….GO!”**

  
  
  


**“Champions…...great honor…….King…..”**

Everything blurred the moment the race was over.

I was numb and couldn’t take a whole breath no matter how many times my chest rose. Everything shallow breath made me start to hyperventilate and as I tried to slow down, my brain was slowly melting away.

**We lost.**

Lance didn’t move once we passed the finish line and I couldn’t focus hard enough to move. I didn’t want to let him go but I wanted to run away. Every muscle in my body was taut and ready to run far from here and far from our fate. 

Lance didn’t deserve this.

Wind whipping past our faces and adrenaline running through our veins reminded me why we were the perfect partnership. Midway through we had reached the sync that always seemed to happen when we were in the middle of battle, backs against the wall, odds stacked against us. It was like our instincts knew and he had rode perfectly, taking everything I said in stride. Just as the  finish line came around the corner, we were a whole second ahead! The boost would have assured our victory and as we blasted through, I was confident we’d won!

But we didn’t.

The boost hadn’t lasted all ten seconds.

If I would have told him a second later, waited for a second longer, we would have won! We would be fine!

This was my fault and there was nowhere to run now.

Guards circled our hoverbike and, for some reason, our engine died the moment we flew through the finish line. Every exit was closed to us by a simple guard or shut and if I moved I knew Lance couldn’t run with me. We couldn’t escape and it was all my fault. I started this, I put us in danger, I killed him-

“I-It’s fine, we’re going to be fine,” Lance mumbled, climbing off and reaching for my hand. I couldn’t look at him as I slid down, his warm hand in mine. His hand was trembling just like mine and with one clear second, I felt like we’d be okay but as the guards placed their hands on our shoulders, I was brought back to reality. Laka and Thrashra zoomed past, probably taking their victory ride around the arena and most crowd were cheering them on. I was sure they didn’t know what our loss meant and if they did, they wouldn’t be cheering as loudly as they were. The guards slowly walked us to one exit where Falthelee sat in a floating chair. Scrunching his eyebrows, he stood, moving to bridge the gap between us.

“Congratulations on your loss, Champions,” Falthelee smirked, his long arms spread out before us. “Follow me.”

Lance was the first to take a step to follow him but my feet were planted into the ground. Looking back to me, he tugged his helmet off to reveal a face covered in sweat. I couldn’t look away as those calming blue eyes looked to me, lashes wet and dewy. Somehow, he was able to plant a smile on his face, even though his lower lip was shaking. “Come on, Keith.”

“I’m not letting you go,” I whispered, throat dry as cold sweat dripped down my spine. I could care less about how I looked to him right now and I wouldn’t care for as long as I lived. Why did he look so perfect even though he was steps away from death? Something powerful and unwavering made me want to pull him close. No one should look at him and no one deserved to see the smile he had on his face. He looked like he was staring at the most beautiful sunset even though we were about to be ripped away from one another. I didn’t want anyone else to have him and I wanted him to know that. Even if he was going to die, I wanted him to know that. “I won’t let you go.”

Even though I said that, Lance only laughed, rubbing the side of his face. When he looked back to me, he paused, shaking his head.

“The crowd must be too loud cause I don’t think I heard you right,” he said, wiping a stray drop of sweat from my face. 

“I’m not letting you go,” I repeated, grabbing desperately for his shoulders. “They can’t take you away from me! I won’t let them! I won’t!”

“It’s going to be fine, Keith-”

“How is it going to be fine!” I shouted, shaking him out of desperation. “They’re trying to break us apart! They want t-to kill you! I can’t let them hurt you-”

“I know,” he said, calmly, moving his hands to hold mine. I was so scared that I was shaking visibly now, and I was sure Lance could feel it. My heart was thudding against my chest loud enough to rival the audience but it was like he was ignoring it. Why was he being so calm! Why wasn’t he trying to run! Why was  **I** the one freaking out!

“Stop saying it’s going to be fine, damn it!”

“Lance. Keith,” Falthelee shouted, nodding his head towards an open door. “We must go.”

“I-I-I-”

“Give me a second,” Lance replied, turning back to me as soon as Falthelee nodded. “You know, Keith, I rather it be me then you.”

“What are you saying?” I asked, voice cracking just at the end. Tears were pooling in the corner of my eyes and I knew I was moments from bursting. “Why are you saying that now!”

“Voltron needs it’s leader and best pilot,” he smiled, sliding his hand up my neck to cup my cheek. I grasped his hand, desperate for the heat of his body against mine and hoping he would let me run with him. His palm was so warm and he was so familiar that it hurt. It hurt to know that I could lose this warmth, that I could lose him.

“It needs you too!”

“It needs you more,” he responded, leaning forward and placing his lips on my cheek. 

“But I need you!” I retorted, scratching at his armor to get a hold on him but nothing was working! “I don’t need the rest I just need you!”

Pulling away, he swallowed hard. “I-I need to go with Falthelee, Keith.”

“No! No!” I screamed, scrambling to grab his arm but a guard quickly pulled me back, Lance completely out of my reach now. He was moving away from me and time was moving too fast. The more I kicked and the more I struggled, the tighter their hands became. It was ridiculous to think all of those hours of training couldn’t help me when I needed it the most. The late nights where I thought I was alone and he was there, the days we fought and argued like enemies but laughed like friends, and moments I just wanted him to shut up and now….

I want him to call out to me….

I want him to scream and struggle and bring up some stupid off handed joke about space. All I want is for us to go back to the times when we sat in the lounge and kicked our feet up after a hard mission. I want to place my back to his as we we’re surrounded by hundreds of drones and guards, just to know he had my back and I had his. The memories we share and the blood we bleed for one another were so important to me. Everything about Lance is important to me and a part of me. The tears and laughter and cheers and kiss…

**I can’t lose this!**

**I can’t lose him!**

“LANCE!”

“ENOUGH!” 

All noise in the arena ceased as a spotlight appeared near the door Lance was walking to. Falthelee moved Lance out of the way as a figure dressed in dark green robes appeared, hood drawn too far to see their face and two arms dropped to its sides. The person stood a mere five feet at the most but it’s voice commanded the crowds. There wasn’t much to the figure other than what was seen but as soon as their voice echoed through the arena, everyone bowed at the waist. The guards released me, quickly doing the same and I took this opportunity to run to Lance. I wanted to collide with him and hold him to my chest but we were in danger even if he wasn’t running towards his death. Reaching for my Bayard, I let my instincts override reason and held the cool metal against my palm, blade sharp and sure. Standing between the figure and Lance, I lowered myself enough to be face to face, even if I couldn’t see the eyes of the alien in front of me. Whoever this was, they were powerful and they could take Lance away from me. 

I couldn’t have that.

I wouldn’t have that.

“Do not worry child,” the figure said, their voice an odd mixture of male and female. It was like the figure couldn’t decide. That didn’t scare me, though, as I held my Bayard out in front of me. “I do not wish to hurt you.”

“Who are you?”

“I am your King.”

“I don’t have a King,” I responded, immediately hearing a gasp move along the crowd. The guards stood and I was even more tense than I was before but the King waved them off with a nod.

“True. You do not, I suppose,” the King said, ducking it’s head. “I wish to change that, though.”

“How?” Lance asked, his voice a little weaker than normal. He hadn’t moved since I stood between him and the King. It was odd for him to be so lethargic and wary instead of headstrong and sure. I wanted Lance to go back to normal.

“By giving you a way out, of course.”

Lance and I exchanged a glance as I stood, carefully looking around at the thousands of people garnishing respect for the King. It was the first time we had met the person and it seemed like there were more questions than answers. 

“It seems you are worried about how trustworthy I am,” the King chuckled, nodding over its shoulder. “It is best that we meet in private.”

Lance nodded in understanding, instinctively reaching for my hand. There was no hesitation as I coiled my fingers around his and walked alongside him. If I was going to go to battle, Lance would be the one I wanted beside me. I was sure he knew that and if he didn’t, I needed to let him know. I was relieved, of course, that Lance wasn’t walking to his death but I knew the King would want something else from us. Just as we were about to reach the King, the sound of an engine filled the silence. Stopping, Laka jumped down from her Father’s hoverbike with a scowl on her face and fists clenched at her sides.

“My King,” she started, bowing at the waist. Lifting her head, she continued. “Is it not fair that I get my prize for the win we earned?”

“May I ask what you mean, Laka?”

“We made a bet that if Thrashra and I won, I could keep the Red Champion and Thrashra could eat the Blue Champion,” she explained, looking up to the King. “Aren’t we due our prizes?”

The King stilled, their body like stone as the silence in the arena sent a chill through the air. A noise almost like a high squeal pierced the silence causing Laka to visibly shaken and whimper as the King took a step forward.

“Ah, I nearly forgot,” they said, raising a cloth covered arm out to rest on Laka’s shoulder. Laka flinched and Thrashra began to whine as the King spoke again, nervous tension almost suffocating. “This tournament has disturbed me for I never gave you the authority to pursue such a bet in the first place.”

“But my King-”

“It is a blessing that I will not take your life right now, Laka,” the King whispered, patting the girl on the shoulder. “Since the Red and Blue Champion are our guests for now, I will be lenient with your sentence.”

“Sentence?” She echoed, shaking her head. “Why is there a sen-”

“You and your Father shall both be exiled from Bellterr for treason against the King,” the figure interrupted, moving away from the pair. Laka’s skin paled as she tried to understand.

“Exiled!” Laka jumped, standing with a huff. “But, my King-”

“Do not let me take a more severe punishment,” the figure responded, nodding towards the guards. Several walked a fighting Laka and Thrashra away as the King turned to us again, the silence filling with murmurs from the crowd. My gut turned as the King waved to us again, regaining our attention.“Shall we go?”

  
  


We walked for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes of silence. Compared to before, there were no beautiful paintings or murals on the walls and that only made me more worried. To make me more uncomfortable, Lance was unnecessarily quiet and compliant. Even though his hand was in mine and wasn’t shaking, it felt like he wasn’t there. Finally, we came to a large oval shaped door. The King pressed a series of numbers on a keypad, it’s body hiding the buttons from our sight. “Welcome, Champions, to my Sanctuary.”

The Sanctuary was immense and glimmering gold.

Cascading silver waters poured out of elaborate gold fountains into large floating pools. Thousands of exotic fruits and plants were filling jewelled pots and overflowing onto pristine white tiles. Paintings of sceneries and bright colored tapestries of places I had never seen before were beside large windows and doors. Seating areas were full of couches and floating chairs that looked too comfortable to be real. Once the King walked in, several aliens dressed in long, white robes filled the room, each a different species, size and color. Some I could remember from our missions to planets that needed aid, others looked like fairytale creatures. A female Muldok, a male Krellian, two Puigans were here but there were fifty in total. When they all came into view, a bell chimed and everyone but Lance and I bowed.

“Thank you,” The King said, the room repeating it. Raising their heads, they broke off into smaller groups and filled the room as they did whatever they wanted to do. “Come.”

Following the King further into the Sanctuary, we sat in a large white love seat, the King right across from us. I put my Bayard away as Lance sat first and I followed, sitting as close as I could. He didn’t say anything, though. It was like he didn’t have anything to say at all. The King didn’t move as we both sat uncomfortably across from them, waiting for them to say something.

It was hard to really look at the guy without feeling a little upset. This was the King that both Lance and I wanted to see the moment we arrived. Because of them, we had been on this planet for almost a full month and didn’t know what to do. We’d almost been killed twice and hadn’t spoken to our team once. 

“Um, Your Majesty,” Lance swallowed, looking down to me as he placed our joined hands into his lap. “Why are we here?”

“Because you interest me,” the King responded, moving their leg over the other. “Actually, you interest all of us.”

“All of us?” I asked, looking to the figure again.

“May I tell you a story?” The King asked, waiting for both Lance and I to nod our heads. There wasn’t much to lose, right? “Many Millennia ago, before galaxy travel was even possible, there was a species of people called the Nocturn.” The King started, leaning forward a bit. “The Nocturn were a people without sex, emotion or diversity. One Nocturn was just like the other in every way and they were content with that. Then, one day, an eternity old species called the Sephyrs discovered the Nocturn and taught them how to be individuals.”

“Just like Malone,” I muttered, catching the King’s attention.

“Yes and slowly but surely, the Nocturn began to die out because there was so much to discover and so little they understood,” the King continued. “And many other Nocturn decided to flee the planet, leaving only four Nocturn left to rule an entire world.”

“That must have been pretty lonely,” Lance mumbled, his hand tightening around mine.

“It was,” the King sighed, it’s head looking down. “But it helped us evolve. For years, we four of us tried to learn why we were dying and felt so empty and useless. Then one year, we discovered why.” Sitting back, the King sighed, almost dreamy. “It was because we didn’t know how to love.”

“Love?” I whispered, shaking my head. “What does love have to do with a species dying?”

“Everything, actually,” the King laughed, the sound crackling through the silence. “Though we as a people have lived for millions of years, we had never knew that there was such things as emotions, or pain. But we learned that love had a way of healing and that it was a universal feeling felt by all species alike. Any species can love an object or place but the love we wished to learn about was the love felt for one another.” Reaching for the front of their robe, the King pulled it back to reveal an ethereal creature. The King was female with a small face and long white hair. Her pitch black skin and light features made her look like a doll but her tiny white fangs were nibbling at her lower lip. Her eyes were only white irises, almost as if she was looking through you rather than at you. Pulling a long necklace from her neck, she cleared her throat and revealed her long limbs and webbed hands. “And this love was very special.”

“Wow,” Lance breathed, blinking a few times to see if she was real. For some ridiculous reason, it ticked me off but I quickly pushed that thought out of my mind as I realized that he was probably right to gasp. The King was beautiful and probably could rival Allura on their good day.

“There is no need to be jealous of me, Red Champion,” the King giggled, her voice much more feminine than before. It was light and almost like a whisper now. “You are quite beautiful yourself.”

“I’m not beautiful,” I retorted, ignoring the tingly feeling around my cheeks. “And I’m not jealous.”

“You must have been,” she responded, raising a hand in the air to show soft padding on the insides of her palm. “Thanks to my earnest interest in love, I have developed a gift that allows me to read your emotions without touching you.”

“What?” 

“It is like a…..taste,” she explained, lowering her hand. “When someone is angry, their taste is hot and warms me up. When they are sad, it tastes salty like tears and when they are happy it is sweet.”

“So emotions are your…….food?”

“Precisely,” she tittered, licking her lips. I wanted to be creeped out but there wasn’t a way for me to stop her from eating my emotions so I’d have to deal with it. “This is why we find you Humans so interesting. You are among the few species with such complex and peculiar forms of love. Yours tastes remarkably different.”

“You’ve been eating our emotions!” I jumped, scooting a bit farther in my seat.

“It does nothing to you, Red Champion, and you feel nothing,” she retorted, nodding her head. “But I believe all of that is far too much information.”

“Yes, your Highness, we’ve been trying to leave Bellterr since the moment we arrived,” Lance interceded, leaning back with a little more ease. His silence had worried me and I was used to him flirting by now. I guess I’d just have to deal with him like this until we understood what was going on with us. “I don’t know if you know but we want to return to Voltron. I’m sure most of the Universe is looking for us and our team has to be pretty worried.”

“Ah, that is true,” she hummed, touching her lip with her hand. “Please call me Ilse instead of the formalities. I am only one of the four Kings of Bellterr. My siblings, Nono, Kloq and Septra have left for battle so I fear my explanation of this situation may not be enough for you.”

“Whatever you can give is fine, I guess.”

Taking a deep breath, Ilse began.

“Corsca is the home planet of the Nocturn but once we died out, our planet was quickly overrun by the Galra Empire,” she started, unconsciously nibbling her lower lip. I flinched at the name, even though it shouldn’t bother me as much as it used to. Everytime I heard the word Galra, I was reminded that I was one of them and, unfortunately, Ilse noticed. “I know you are half Galra, Red Champion but I hold no ill-will towards you. I have heard of some Galra fighting against their Emperor and I commend those who fight.”

“Thanks.”

“It is of no consequence,” she nodded, looking to her hands. “The Galra that inhabited Corsca have no idea where Bellterr is because of an interdimensional rip in space created by Septra but they know that many dying or extinct creatures from already destroyed planets live in Bellterr, some of which have great amounts of quintessence in their bodies. Possibly enough to power an entire planet.” Raising her hand to her cheek, she wiped a tear that had fallen. It was weird seeing her cry, especially since she hadn’t really blinked since we started the conversation and the tear was gold. “For almost a thousand years, they have destroyed several other portions of Corsca that they have discovered, even bridging piece of Bellterr. Two sections held by Nono and Septra have been attacked and overrun by the Galra already.”

“I thought you said there was an interdimensional tear?” Lance asked, releasing my hand. I was going to complain but he immediately threw his arm over my shoulder, comfortably leaning against me. “We once dealt with something like that and you had to go into a certain spot to even get in. If you missed, man, you were ripped apart.”

“Which is where my problem lies, Blue Champion.”

“Lance.”

“Lance...and Keith,” she corrected, nodding her head. “I have reason to believe that one of my councilmen has allowed Galra spies into Bellterran society in exchange for money and status in the Galra Empire. The only council member who has been cleared of any wrongdoing is Falthelee.”

“Thank goodness,” Lance heaved, placing a hand on his chest.

“Why are you so relieved?” I asked, looking up to Lance. 

“Because I trusted him and if I was wrong you wouldn’t let me live it off,” he joked, sending a soft smile my way. I ignored the flutter in my stomach at the smile and looked back to the King. 

“Falthelee was the one who suggested I utilize the Paladins of Voltron,” Ilse chuckled, covering her mouth delicately. “He only knew of the Black Paladin and Green Paladin though. It was said that the Black Paladin was the strongest and the Green, the smartest. We needed both of those qualities in order to succeed.”

“Oh, Pidge and Shiro, yeah, they’re pretty great,” Lance smiled, squeezing my shoulder. “But Keith here is the second best fighter in the entire Voltron Coalition, under me and I’m a great shot, well, I was a great shot.”

I’d let the comment slide to let his pride stay alive.

“Oh, your injuries,” she gasped, waving her hand in front of her face. “No need to worry. As soon as we are done with this conversation, you will be placed in a healing pod. If you are to help me, I need you healthy and at your best.”

“If you need us, the Paladins of Voltron, we need Voltron and our Lions,” I said, sitting forward. “We would be even more effective if all of us were here to help.”

“That is a problem, as well,” she answered. “Since Nono and Septra have gone missing, I am left with minimal abilities at my fingertips. Nono creates our communications system and only he can operate it. Septra protected our borders with her magic but since she has such massive quintessence, she was taken with the land. Even if we could get a call out to your Voltron, there would be no way to open the rip for them to enter.”

“We’re on our own, huh,” Lance sighed, leaning his head back. “Kind of exciting.”

“Yes, but you will have my support as well as Falthelee,” she retorted. “Though I am the weakest of my siblings, I will do everything I can to help. Falthelee as well.”

“What’s the plan then, Ilse?” Lance started, eyes blazing with confidence. I couldn’t bring myself to jump at the opportunity of full scale war after everything we had been through here. 

“Wait, Lance, we can’t just agree!” I huffed, turning to face him. “Because of her, you got hurt! We’re being hunted because of all of this!”

“When are we not hunted, Mullet?”

“Not like this,” I growled, clenching my teeth as I stared Lance down but he wasn’t fazed as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

“We’re the Guardians of the Universe, remember? We have to help,” he reassured, staring me down. His strong and focused blue eyes pierced me deep and I couldn’t look away. He was always calling me reckless but this was a stretch for him. We literally just had a near-death experience and he wanted to dive right back into the fire. It was noble and sweet but also ridiculously stupid. Sighing, I shook my head and gave him, Lance giving himself a little cheer. “It’s final. We’ll help.”

“Marvelous!” She cheered, even going as far as to clap her hands. “There is an event called the King’s Dinner coming soon. There Falthelee plans to secretly interrogate Aklimadros. He is confident that she would speak candidly with him and doesn’t suspect any unrest. Mastrous will be your charter.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED KEITH'S HEART PRACTICALLY DYING   
> I don't mean to be this evil, I just am......
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you to the comments that helped me understand. I'm, unfortunately, needy and I don't want to feel like I'm not doing anything with this...


	26. Chapter 26: Keith

“Mastrous! The giant lunk of meat on two legs?” Lance groaned, covering his face. I hated to admit it but he was right to complain. The photo of the creature was a little horrifying. “How are we supposed to talk to him?”

“Mastrous has a love for things that are..how can I say this? Very beautiful and rare,” she explained, her stare a bit uncomfortable as she turned her lips.

“Oh, so you think I can use my way with words and handsome face to work this out,” Lance grinned, adding a wink. I chuckled a bit, which made Lance look down to me with a soft smile. “You’d be surprised what a wink and smile can do, Mullet.”

“No, Lance,” she chuckled, waving her hand. “He likes attention and affection from beautiful and rare species, attention he gets from living on this planet. Most of all he loves to drink! If you flirt with him, or even catch his attention, you can get him to drink anything in no time at all. Once drunk, Mastrous’ species quickly fall into a Tranceless Sleep that allows you to talk to them. While in the Tranceless Sleep, he will not remember it happened but he will tell you what you want.”

“So he’s human,” Lance joked, getting a weird look from Ilse. 

“I don’t know what you mean, he is obviously not human,” she responded, tilting her head. “But if you don’t get him drunk enough, he won’t respond. The only other option is you let him have his way with one of you.”

“I’m not into sharing!” Lance gasped, tugging me close. My eyes boomed wide as my heartbeat nearly thumped out of my chest. “I mean, I’m not sharing Keith, he’s, um, he’s a close friend, I mean. Yeah, friend. No offense.”

“Um, n-none taken,” I stammered, slipping out of his grip. I tried to breathe a little slower so I could focus but it was hard when your heart was practically leaping out of your chest. 

“We wouldn’t allow it to get that far, Lance,” she smiled, looking me in the eye. I could see that she was tasting our emotions and I didn’t like it. It made Lance and I seem too….intimate. Being honest, I didn’t want Lance to find me disgusting for thinking of him the way I did. He was a charismatic guy and I was written off as antisocial. If my being around him made him feel uncomfortable, I would happily move out of the way. Clearing her throat, she shared a glance between the both of us. “Then it is settled. You will get Mastrous drunk and keep him company until he falls into the Tranceless Sleep where you will get as much information as you can. Once that is done, you can return to your house in the woods, relay the information and Falthelee and I can create a plan of attack.”

“Why can’t we follow the lead and they flirt with the giant rock, man,” Lance whined, sliding low in his chair. 

“What Lance means to say is, why can’t someone else do this?” I asked, looking to Ilse with a frown. “I don’t like us being in a position we aren’t exactly comfortable with.”

“Unfortunately, since the original lead is connected to Laka and Thrashra, Malone has been assigned to that and Mastrous prefers pairs of Male, than Male and Female,” she responded, placing her hands delicately in her lap. I could feel my cheeks burn when she said pair but I wouldn’t let it bother me as long as we were talking business. It was really not the time for me to get too emotional, especially after I practically cried when Lance was walking away from me. It was embarrassing to even think about that right now. Why the heck was I getting so emotional over stupid things during a mission briefing!“I believe you both shall do well, Paladins. This is probably a small matter compared to defending the universe.”

“Flattery won’t work here,” Lance groaned, narrowing his eyes. “Well,maybe a little more would help.”

“Lance….” I warned, the Paladin zipping his mouth immediately. 

“I feared it wouldn’t,” she sighed, clasping her hands together. “But, your partnership will surely grow through this experience.”

“I’m sure Lee told you but Keith and I don’t really have that sort of relationship,” Lance explained, moving his arm from behind me. I wanted to force his arm back but thought that was really immature to do, especially in front of a King. The most I could do was look up to him and admire the strength of his jaw from here. “We’re only friends and were, you know, doing it to stay alive.”

My heart dropped as he said that. 

Is that how he really felt?

I hadn’t really meant what I said before. Everything was just happening so fast and my emotions were all over the place. It was getting harder and harder to control my emotions around Lance. Why did that keep happening!

“Oh, I didn’t mean for the sake of saving Bellterr,” she clarified, pointing to us. 

“Then what did you mean?” Lance asked,throwing his leg over his knee. “

“You both wish for this partnership to flourish into something greater,” she answered, eyes twinkling as she looked between the both of us. 

The air filled with silence as my heart beat slowed nearly to a stop.

**One beat.**

**Two beats.**

**A third and then Lance visibly shivered flinched.**

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach and I felt queasy as Lance looked anywhere but at me. Was he that upset and disgusted with me that he wouldn’t even look at me. Was Lance upset that I thought of him like how I had? How was I going to explain this to him? How was I supposed to-

“Ilse?” Lance whispered, looking the King in the eye. “What are you trying to say?”

Isle tilted her head, hair falling over one shoulder as she began to chuckle. “Need I say it in a more casual way?”

Lance’s nod made me want to sink into the floor.

“Well, when you speak, Keith’s emotions taste sweet and….floral, almost like eating cake,” she started, small smile growing on her lips. “And when you laugh, it tastes like what sunshine feels like. Not too hot but warm and comfortable.”

“Please stop,” I whispered, my voice barely coming out in one breath. “He doesn’t feel like how I do. H-He can’t.”

“Oh but he does,” she chuckled, taking in a deep breath as she spread her webbed hands into the open air. “His emotions now are so pure and sweet that it’s almost too much. You should see how his emotions spike at the very sight of you. It is spicy but not too much and a wonderful combination when your emotions mix.”

“You’re lying,” I retorted, moving to stand. “Stop torturing me! He’s just nice to everyone and I’m taking his feelings too far.”

“But he is not nice to every-“

“You wouldn’t know,” I grumbled, glaring at the King as my nose stung and cheeks burned. I didn’t want to cry and I didn’t want to get too frustrated but it was taking its toll on me. “H-He’s like this with everyone! With random alien girls and with Allura an-and with Pidge, even Shiro! He hates me and never will like me! Stop giving me-“

A hand grabbed mine so fast I nearly jumped out of my skin. Looking down, I found Lance’s deep blue eyes staring me down, his hair hooding them almost out of view. His grip was firm and as he stood, the extra centimeters seemed like feet. 

“ **Let me go,** ” I breathed, tugging my arm but he didn’t respond. “Let me go, Lance. I’m serious.”

“I won’t,” he said, his voice thick with something I didn’t want to describe. “I-I can’t. You have to talk to me!”

“Lance-

“No,” he growled, turning to Ilse. “Is there anywhere Keith and I can talk without being interrupted?”

“You may use my Sanctuary as you please,” she smiled, seeing something that I wasn’t. Fear gripped at my chest as she cleared the room of all the other aliens. I was frozen and Lance knew as he let me go to. move to the seat the King previously sat in. His hands were clasped in front of him and I couldn’t figure out where I should go. Crossing my arms in front of me, I stood my ground.

“I don’t think we should be having this conversation right now,” I muttered, moving to walk away. “We have a mission and we should just stick to what we’re good at.”

“What was she talking about?” He whispered, his voice cracking at the end. I tried to act like I didn’t hear it but it was so quiet and the air was thin. The fountains barely made any noise and the thumping in my ear couldn’t stop me from hearing him. “Keith, what was she talking about?”

“I don’t know,” I responded, taking a step forward but his hand was already on mine. I didn’t tug away because the feel of his hand on my arm felt like magic but I should have pulled. 

**I should’ve pulled away.**

“Stop running away from me!” He shouted, his voice echoing through the room. I heard him stand and felt him move closer to me but my eyes were closed and first the first time in a while I was too afraid to say anything. I didn’t have the strength and I couldn’t find the right words. I wouldn’t look at him. Only looking at him made me feel even weaker. “Talk to me, Keith! Please!”

“What’s there to talk about?” I muttered, scoffing as I pulled my arm from his. “We’re here for a reason so we should just-”

“I swear if you say the word mission or finish or anything that doesn’t have anything to do with our conversation, I will walk out of that damn door forever,” he dared, causing me to open my eyes and turn to him. I thought I would see him with an angry glare on his face but all there was just a smile. “There’s my Samurai.”

“What?” I breathed, watching him trail his arm up mine to my cheek.  His touch was so soft and tender, his hands gliding into my hair and thumb stroking my cheek. “W-What are you doing?”

“You know, I find people interesting, man, and I just seem to always want to be around other people or I get lonely,” he started, his smile growing wider. It was brilliant and bright but I couldn’t get sucked into it. “Sometimes at night when I couldn’t sleep because I was too homesick, I’d force Hunk to make me a snack and if that didn’t help, I’d bug Pidge since she didn’t sleep much but most of the time, I’d just head to the training deck and watch you.”

“Lance, what are you-”

“Let me finish,” he huffed, lifting his thumb to my lip. Following his glance, I found it fall to my lips.“I would watch you for hours work simulation after simulation. This was before Shiro disappeared and I thought it was because I wanted to see what made you so special but now I’m realizing it’s because of something completely different.” Breathing a sigh, he licked his lips in a slow drag that tugged my heart and he immediately noticed that I was staring at his lips now. Realization and embarrassment made me step back but Lance just followed and when I tried to take more, Lance was right there. It became so many that my back finally hit a wall and there was nowhere else to run.“Gotcha.”

“Lance,” was all I could say as his breath mingled with mine. Our lips were only inches apart from one another and my skin was burning, every hair raised and every nerve alight with anticipation. 

“She says you want to take this further.”

“She said a lot of things,” I responded, turning my head to look away.

“She said she can taste how sweet you are on me,” he whispered, turning my face with gentle fingertips. Blazing blue eyes were heavy with emotion and I was falling forward almost into them.

“She said the same thing about you,” I replied, the hold on my sanity slowly dwindling. 

“Was she lying?”

“I…”

Could I say it?

Certain I was close to the edge and certain that whatever I did would slowly let all of the pieces fall, I had to take this chance. If that meant that I could stay with Lance or if he would even have me. 

I had to take it.

Lance was so much more to me than just a friend, or a partner or even just family. I wanted to monopolize him and I wanted him to want me. There had to be some hope or something there right? The glances and smiles had to be for me. I wanted them to be for me and no one else. I wanted those hands to run through my hair just like they did when I sat at his bedside. I wanted him to say my name the way he did all of those nights and his lips to only touch mine. There had to be a way for him to choose me.

**This was my chance.**

“....no,” I whispered, closing my eyes. Sure, I was hoping that he would fall for me but doubt was always there. I didn’t want to open my eyes and feel that hand fall from my cheek and leave me forever. I was close to crying with how frustrated I was but then he laughed.

He just laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” I asked, opening my eyes. There were tears in his eyes and they were falling down his face as he tried to wipe them away. I wanted to reach out but I wasn’t exactly sure how. “Wh-Why are you crying?”

“Because I’m happy,” he sighed, dropping his head to my shoulder. His ocean eyes were gleaming and his cheeks were tinged red but he was still chuckling as he grabbed my face with two hands. “I thought you’d never fall for me.”

“Why would you think that?”

“If you haven’t noticed, you’ve been giving mixed signals, Red,” he smirked, emphasizing the nickname. “One day you’re Princess carrying me into bed and the next you're telling me you kissed me because it was all part of a mission!”

“What else was I supposed to do?”

“Admit that you like me!” 

“How?” I grumbled, trying to move out of his hands to think but he only held me there as softly as he could. “If you haven’t noticed, I don’t really know how I feel.”

“I don’t know,” he huffed, running a hand through his hair. “You could have sent smoke signals and those would have been clearer than the ones you were giving me but I would have said yes.”

“Don’t blame this only on me,” I grunted, crossing my arms over my chest. “You flirted with everyone and if you got the slightest attention from them, you latched onto it like a leech.”

“That was the only time you paid any attention to me,” he explained, pulling my arms apart. I didn’t struggle as he held my hand in his. “You only pay attention to me when I mess up or flirt so I flirt a lot in order to have those eyes on me.”

“I always paid attention to you,” I responded, looking away from him out of embarrassment. “Ray made me realize and today too, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“I don’t really know what I feel for you,” I answered, waiting for him to make fun of me but he didn’t. “You’re not gonna make fun of me?”

“Why would I make fun of you?”

“I don’t know, maybe because I can’t figure out if I like you or not?”

“You like me,” he smirked, raising my hands above my head. For some reason, I didn’t tug or try to get loose. I just took it and didn’t move a muscle as he pressed his hips into mine, utterly pinning me to the wall. “You know how I know that?”

I couldn’t form words as I shook my head.

“Because you wouldn’t have kissed me unless you did,” he whispered, eyes closing as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. Pulling back, he quirked an eyebrow as if testing how much more he could do. When I didn't stop him, he opened his mouth, pale pink tongue sliding over lower lip. I wanted to moan and was seconds away from doing so when he tilted his head and slid a hand down to cup my face. Letting my arm drop, I found purchase in the ends of his armor, tugging him closer to deepen the kiss. His lips were like fire burning hot against my skin and I gasped when he nipped at my lower lip, swelling it almost painfully. That gave him enough time to slide in his tongue, slow and smooth, before tipping my head back farther to deepen it. My body was shaking and I felt exhausted with all that had happened today. This morning, we were barely talking to one another and now Lance was kissing me deep and slow. His taste was so sweet and I could easily get addicted. The feel of his hands in my hair and our noses knocking clumsily were sensations I’d never get over. I wanted more but as he finally pulled back to catch a breath Lance had to pull away to breath. “We should, um, we should stop.”

“Why?” I asked, looking up to him with wide eyes but he just covered his own.

“You can’t look at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you have any innocence in you,” he gagged, removing his arm from mine.

“What do you mean by that, dumbass?”

“That kiss we shared on the beach wasn’t your first,” he answered, pointing to his lips. “That was a slightly experienced kiss from a slightly experienced person.”

“You thought my first kiss would be with you?” I chuckled, covering my mouth immediately after.

“Maybe,” he grumbled, kicking his foot against the floor.

“I’m sorry,” I answered, licking my lip subconsciously. “I’ll tell you another day who kissed me first.”

“.....it wasn’t Shiro was it?”

“Oh, ew, no!” I gasped, covering my mouth before I threw up. “Shiro’s like my older brother, dude!”

“I always thought it was Shiro.”

“No, no and no.”

“Good,” he hummed, flopping down onto a nearby couch. “I can’t compete with Shiro.”

“I doubt anyone can compete with Captain Perfect either,” I sighed, moving to sit beside him. I made sure there was enough space between us that he would be comfortable but that only bothered Lance. I raised an eyebrow as he slid over, throwing his arm over my shoulder and tugging me into his chest. “Um, what are you doing?”

“Isn’t obvious? I’m cuddling,” he smirked, pulling me a bit closer.

“Why?”

“Because, you know, we just had a bonding moment.”

“Maybe you’ll remember this one since there wasn’t any fainting involved,” I grumbled, immediately looking away from Lance.

“A guy forgets one time and he gets crap for it for the rest of his life!”

  
  
  


We sat like that for a while before Ilse came back, worried we had been taken. When she was satisfied with us not being dead or kidnapped, she explained the rest of the plan to us. Lance was particularly touchy now, hand resting on my thigh as his knee knocked against mine.

“As I was saying before, your help is particularly minimal,” Ilse smiled, seeming utterly satisfied with the taste around us. She tried to comment earlier on it but I was too embarrassed to actually listen. “You will do as you have been for the past few days. I would prefer it if you made more appearances that would expose more agents, though, this will still be dangerous.”

“You think the assassins will still try something if Laka and Thrashra are gone?” I asked, trying to distract myself from Lance’s hands.

“They will get much bolder,” she replied, fiddling with the ends of her gown. She had took the time to change into something more comfortable and it accentuated her odd and ethereal features well. “Laka was second in command according to Falthelee’s leads. Thrashra was just a body since he was not as smart as Laka.”

“Then it should be easier for us to find the leader, right?” Lance remarked, scrunching his nose. When Ilse didn’t immediately answer, he shook his head. “It isn’t that simple.”

“Not at all,” she sighed. “Falthelee and I believe that the councilmen in charge of the upcoming coup is probably third or even fourth in command.”

“Then why go after them?”

“We wish to plug leaks anywhere we can,” she responded, eyes closing momentarily. “This lead as well as the agents that are hunting you could give us invaluable information. Anything would help and, unfortunately, you can not leave until we get Nono back. The more apparent your relationship, the more likely the assassins will come for you.”

“Do they know who we are?” I asked, glancing down to the helmet by my side. 

“We assume yes,” she sighed, nodding her head. “This is why the attempts on your life have been through non contact methods.”

“The bomb and the battles,” Lance nodded.

“Laka was the first to actually initiate contact directly,” I added.

“True, which means they will probably use more direct methods from now on,” she replied. “She would have succeeded if I hadn’t intervened.”

“How did you intervene?” Lance asked, looking at the King with squinted eyes. “We lost fair and square.”

“The boost,” I muttered.

“I had Malone lower the boost in order to allow Thrashra to win,” she giggled. “I hadn’t realized that the Blue Champion was such a great driver!”

“Thank you, thank you,” he smiled, winking at her as he pushed his fringe from his forehead. “Natural talent like mine is hard to come by, I’m sure.”

“He didn’t even know how to start the bike until I told him where everything was,” I explained, earning a shocked look from Lance.

“Keith!”

“And he almost had us crash trying to figure it out himself-”

“Mullet!”

“And on one of the turns, I was sure we were going to die because he didn’t turn us-”

“Okay okay! I admit, I’m not that great and Keith helped me a little,” Lance grumbled, crossing his arms. I smiled as he crossed his legs and pouted. “Geez. My dreams were shattered by my own boyfriend.”

“Boy…..friend?” I swallowed, trying not to sound too shocked.

“I mean, isn’t that what two people who like each other would call us?” Lance asked, scratching the back of his neck. “I get if you aren’t, maybe, one of those label people but-”

“No, um,” I hummed, smiling as I reached up to touch his cheek. “ **I like it.** ”

I was rewarded with a blushing and mumbling Lance that I wanted to see more often. He somehow was able to look both adorable and hot in a single instant. Those long arms had already held me in their grasp and those long fingers were twirling through his hair as he smiled in my direction. I probably would have stayed like this forever if the King hadn’t cleared her throat.

“I apologize if I am interceding during a moment that is special but you do have to return to your quarters,” she giggled, covering her mouth as she looked at us. I wanted to disappear where no one could see us but I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Or maybe it could. I used to believe that Lance hated me and I would never understand what this feeling was. I used to think that I would never have a family. Most of all, I used to believe that happiness was something you had to have from the very beginning.

**I’m so glad I was wrong about most everything I believed in.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAAYA we've reached the peak!!!! Now's time for dates, awkwardness, getting drunk and defeating the Galra!


	27. Chapter 27: Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO LOVELY SPACE HUMANS!!!!!  
> And also, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY HUNK!!!!!

I was on the moon.

Or at least I felt like it.

For the first time since we’d been kidnapped onto this god forsaken planet, I was truly happy! All of fate, time and magic had somehow led to Keith Kogane actually liking me back! I wasn’t saying that he was someone so unreachable that I couldn’t have a chance to be with him but, come on, we were different sides of the same coin. Keith had never once shown interest in me while we were here nor did he show it when we started this Galactic Adventure. 

Our personalities were so different and yet the Universe decided that we would be great together. For one, the idiot was always glooming over something. When I joked with him and flirted, he would blush and get frustrated because of the effect I had on him. Sure, he was embarrassed and, man, it was attractive when he blushed but it was even hotter when he was mad. It was tough to not argue with him just to see those violet orbs burn with passion and narrow in my direction. They burned just as bright when he was mid-battle and he didn’t know but when I sat perched above the battlefield, rifle in hand, I could see that smirk grow on his face and I wanted to stand back to back with him. He lived for the battles we fought and his fervor exploded with every thrust of his blade. 

You couldn’t look away from him and I never wanted to. 

Now this man had fallen for me.

I couldn’t understand why! Keith was majorly out of my league and I was so below his standard that I would never be able to reach it. Mullet was the top of his class without even trying and bonded with the Red Lion who was supposed to be the hardest Lion to tame. His skills in combat rivalled Shiro and Shiro had five years on him not to mention a couple inches and pounds in muscle. Even though he wasn’t good at expressing emotions other than fight and fluent sarcasm, he was starting to grow. At first, I noticed it when he would make a joke in the middle of missions but slowly he started to stick around the lounge with everyone else or skip extra Marmora training to have dinner with us. Even now as I waited for him to come out of the healing pod, I could see the little upturn of his lips as he dreamed. 

“Tan Hermoso, ” I muttered, pressing my hand against the healing pod. He was in his black suit that was worn underneath his armor and it clung to the steel curves of his body, covering pale skin from view. He threw his armor into a corner and kept his Bayard and Marmora Blade next to the pod. Picking up his Bayard, I was surprised to feel how light it was. The Blue and Red Bayards each had their own special weight, Blue’s a little lighter than Red’s. But The Black Lions’ Bayard was much lighter than Blue’s and I could feel the power that surge through me and tingle up my spine. This same Bayard was created by Allura’s Father 10,000 years ago, held in battle by Zarkon, powered Voltron in Shiro’s hands and was now Keith’s weapon that had protected the team as well as himself. All of our Bayards had history but this one…..this was powerful.

“It’s not going to activate, idiot,” a voice said above me, making me jump. Peering down on me was Keith, smoke collecting around him as he pushed dark fringe from his face.

“I know,” I hummed, waving some smoke out of my face and moving to flick him on the nose. “Welcome back.”

“Hey,” he grumbled, rubbing his nose. “What was that for?”

“You made me wait for you,” I pouted, smiling as he frowned.

“I didn’t mean to take so long,” he said, his voice sincere. I wanted to tug him into the universes longest hug but that was probably inappropriate, especially with the two nurses who had hooked us up standing by. “How can I, um, I guess I could probably just say sorry.”

“Or you could just give me a kiss and I’ll forget about it,” I joked, taking a step forward. I was going to say it’s okay but Keith covered his face and nodded his head. “Really?”

“Just not here, okay?” He blushed, stepping down and lightly pushing past me. I stared at his retreating form as he pulled on the jeans he was wearing this morning and his black shirt. Throwing his jacket over his shoulders, he adjusted the ends of his hair before tucking his blade into sheath on his hip. Looking back to me, he clipped his Bayard to his belt. “You coming?” 

“Yeah,” I breathed, jogging to stand beside him. He smirked as I interlocked our fingers, rubbing my thumb against his. Tugging me closer, he pushed the door open and we headed to our pod. 

  
  
  
  
  


Returning back to the same apartment we had left only hours ago was completely different then it was before. When we had left, I was upset and frustrated, unable to understand how Keith could be so dense but now we were returning in a real relationship. The air was electrified and his distinct scent like burning coals was just too much to handle right now. I wanted to throw him on the bed and kiss him senseless but that was probably just the horny teenager in me begging for attention. Our bodies were at our limits, especially since we hadn’t really had time to ourselves at the Castle and Keith was the only one who had a little relief. Once we entered, Keith immediately moved to sit on the bed, tossing his blade onto the nightstand. He quickly tugged his jacket off of his shoulders and let it slide onto the ground, each movement calculated and slow. 

As he began to tug his shoes off, I tried busying myself by peeling my jacket off and hanging it on a nearby chair. I could feel Keith’s eyes following me as I walked from shelf to hanging closet, trying to find the right clothes to wear to bed. It was unbearably quiet and a small part of me craved noise in this silence while the rest of me wanted to fall deeper into it. It had been a long time since we were in the quiet and today had been really scary.

** I was prepared to die after losing. **

If it meant Keith was going to be alright and possibly had the chance to return to Voltron then it was all worth it. He could pilot Red better than anyone and since Shiro had returned, the Black Lion would be given back to him. Even though Keith had talked to me and told me not to worry, I hadn’t stopped thinking about it. Everyone had a niche when it came to Voltron and if that meant that I would have to move to another position within the Coalition, I was prepared. Especially if that meant that Keith was going to be alright. My tiny sacrifice was going to be worth it.

“Lance?”

I turned to see Keith sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands clenched in his lap and body leaning forward. His gaze was intense and the way he sounded calling my name was so heavy that I wasn’t sure that he was the one who called me. “What?”

“I can smell your brain cooking from how hard you’re thinking,” he joked, a smirk on his slightly chapped lips. Clearing his throat, he stood, pink tongue peeking out to dampen his lips. “I’m um, if you aren’t going to do the thing, then I guess, I mean….”

“We don’t have to,” I mumbled, rubbing my hand up my neck. “It’s fine, buddy, I mean, Lancey Lance is always here to serve.”

Nice! That should work, right?

“Well, I’m going to shower. I don’t like how I smell when I leave the healing pods,” he hummed, tugging his shirt over his head and taking the few steps to the bathroom. Glancing back to me for a moment, he gave a weak smile before closing the door. Throwing myself on top of the bed, I kicked my shoes off and stripped my jeans off. I usually tugged on a pair of shorts but I really didn’t need to anymore. Keith had seen me practically naked already and I didn’t need clothes to weigh my body down anymore than it already felt it was. Today had been more than tiring and I wasn’t one to stay up if I didn’t have to. Closing my eyes, I pulled my pillow to my chest and dozed off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's wonderful that they are finally together but prepare yourself for a little mundane and then shit.....just major shit and love......like disgusting shit.....I can't even think of a synonym for shit right now..... :r)
> 
> Translation:  
> Tan Hermoso: So Handsome
> 
> That's like the literal meaning, even though most people just say Hermoso...I'm using Catalan instead of Miami Spanish because I thought that was easier for people...


	28. Chapter 28: Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my little butterflies!!!! ARE YOU READY FOR MARCH 2nd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I returned from the bathroom, I expected Lance to be sitting on the bed, rose in his mouth and shirt completely off. I was surprised to see him nestled up to my pillow and smiling. Drool was seeping out of his mouth and he looked absolutely adorable and at the same time completely disgusting. Especially since that was my pillow! Tugging the pillow from his grasp, I watched him reach out and mumble, “Keith…..Ke….ith, no.”

What was this doofus dreaming about?

I felt a little sorry so I pushed my pillow back into his hands and grabbed his instead. Leaning against the headboard, I began to dry my hair, the smell of lavender filling the air. I wouldn’t admit it to him but he was spot on when it came to shampoos. My hair hadn’t felt this good since….forever! It probably smelled that much better because it kind of smelled like Lance. Tossing the towel across the room, I eased myself into the blanket and pushed his pillow under my head. Immediately, a comforting moan slid past open lips as Lance’s smell engulfed me, the denseness of it making me feel warm. Lavender and sea salt surrounded me in a perfect embrace as I snuggled closer to Lance under the heavy blankets. A slightly smoother leg brushed against mine, freaking me out just more a moment. Lance’s skin was burning warm and as I experimented how far I could go, I realized that he wasn’t wearing any pants. 

“Really, Sharpshooter?” I mumbled, chuckling as I noticed the light snore coming from Lance. It had been a long day and he deserved to rest just as much as I did. We’d talk about the half-nakedness and self-sacrifice thing later. Right now, I just wanted to float into our paradise. Life had become so comfortable with Lance right beside me. We had only been on this planet for little over a month and Lance had squirmed his way into my daily routine. If we were on the Castle, he and I would only be this close if there was a mission or fancy dinner. Even then, he was a social butterfly and I just wanted to be left alone. It was incredible to have someone as important as Lance so close to me. Of course, I trusted Hunk and the others but I wouldn’t listen to them like I would Lance. When it came down to business and survival, he said things that mattered.

He had become the centerpiece of the team and he kept us all together. 

If Hunk and Pidge were arguing over which part would solve the problem, Lance would make a terrible joke to help ease the tension. If Shiro was struggling to kill a marriage proposal from a planet’s Princess, Lance would swiftly move in to distract her. If anyone disrespected the Princess or the Blade, he was there to back them up. Whenever I needed him, he was there. Just being able to reach out and touch him like this was new. Lance always seemed so far and untouchable. I felt that if I ever touched him, that one touch would ruin his happiness.

“...th...Keith?” He mumbled, making me smile. A tanned hand was reaching out to grab my arm and I let him, linking our fingers together so he’d have someone to hold on to. His hands were warm, like he always was, and as I tugged his hand onto my chest, I felt his grip tighten and heard a satisfied sigh slip past his lips. Bringing his fingers to my lips, I pressed a kiss against his knuckles before flicking the lights off and dozing off.

  
  
  
  
  


When I woke up, I was Lance-less.

Not in a bad way, since he was in the kitchen with an apron on and cooking something that smelled way too good to be true. I was relieved and somewhat embarrassed that I was so relieved. Scrunching my eyebrows, I rubbed the gunk out of my eyes and kicked my legs over the side of the bed. That’s when I realized that I was mostly on Lance’s side of the bed. If anything, I had practically slept  **on** Lance. Covering my mouth, I groaned, alerting Lance to my embarrassment.

“Morning, Clingasaurus,” he joked, turning the stove off to walk over to me. Throwing himself onto the bed like a dilapidated seal, he smiled at me, head laying on my lap as he looked up to me. An instinctive urge to push him off was quickly smothered when he reached up to brush my fringe behind my ear. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, enjoying the feel of his hand through my hair. When he chuckled, I stared down at him, enjoying the look of his features. That’s when I smelled the telltale scent of bacon, onions, cheese and eggs. “What are you cooking?”

“Omelettes!” He jumped, moving back to the stove. Cutting it back on, he put his creation onto a plate, shaking his hips a bit as he hummed a song. It was slightly distracting to see his hips move like that but I just couldn’t look away. The way his waist swiveled and turned like he was on a top was just mystifyin-“...Keith?”

“Huh?”

“Do you want one?” He asked, looking over to me with a question in his eyes. “An Omelette? I can make one that has everything you like it in.”

“I hate bell peppers,” I grumbled, scrunching my nose. Lance chuckled as he poured some oil into the pan.

“Is bacon, onions, cheese and spinach good then?”

I grunted a yes as I stood and stretched.

“Why don’t you go brush your teeth and wash up? It’ll be done by the time you come out.”

“Sure,” I hummed, slipping into the bathroom.   

  
  


Teeth brushed, hair pulled back into a makeshift bun and freshly clothed, I walked up to the table where Lance had placed the omelette and a cup of juice. Though it was a little burnt on one corner, it smelled ridiculously good and probably tasted just as much. My mouth was watering as Lance finished cleaning up and headed to the bathroom, probably to take a shower. Digging in, I inhaled it in a few minutes, the spices and veggies filling me up in seconds. By that time, Lance walked out of the shower, lavender and sea salt filling the air. Lance was dressed in a pair of comfortable running shorts that were a few inches above his knees and a comfortable long sleeve that was slightly bigger than him. 

“Ray really needs to readjust his measurements,” he pouted, tugging at the sleeves so they would hold at his elbows. “These shorts are too short and the shirts too long.”

“I think the shirt’s mine,” I chuckled, pointing to the red collar. Tilting my head to the side, I looked at the shorts from another angle.“And the shorts don’t seem too short.”

Lance blushed as he looked down to the shirt and tugged it over his shorts. “Perv!”

“What?” I asked, covering my face as he threw a pillow at me. “What the hell, man! I just complimented you!”

“You were thinking dirty thoughts, bud, and I’m not at that step yet,” he grumbled, reaching for a pair of sweatpants nearby. Huffing, he traipsed into the bathroom, too angry to shut the door. Tugging his shorts off, he slid the sweatpants on. Cheeks burning, I tried not to laugh as he stomped the ground in an apparent temper tantrum fit for a little boy. “And now these are too short!”

“Maybe because those are also mine, genius,” I commented, pointing to the strip of red on the left thigh. It did look a little funny on his frame since I was slightly shorter than him. The pants ended mid-calf and the points that were supposed to be baggy around the thighs were a little snugger on him. Since he was struggling so much, I kindly brought him his pair that were identical minus the red stripe. He checked for the blue stripe and ripped mine off to throw into my face. I rolled my eyes as I folded mine and put them away. Staring at the pile of dirty clothes we had, I decided I’d end up being the one to wash them. “Hey, is there a washing machine anywhere around here?”

“We’re in the middle of the forest….” Lance said, flopping onto the bed. “Malone said it’s supposed to snow later on tonight so if we want to do anything we should do it tonight.”

“Did you talk to her about the mission?”

“I swear if I had a dollar for every time you said mission, I’d be able to buy the castle.”

“Not necessary,” I retorted, joining him on the bed. I sat a good foot away as he pulled a pillow under his face.

“I talked to her when I woke up,” he replied, scratching the back of his head. “She said we have four days until the King’s Dinner.”

“Four days isn’t really enough time to make a solid plan.”

“I told her that but she said if they moved the date back, the Galra could get suspicious,” he said, tapping on his band. Reading off a list, he continued. “We don’t have to worry about outfits since Ray said he’s going to make some for us that’ll make me look amazing and you irresistible.”

“That doesn’t give me any confidence,” I replied, voice deadpan.

“Oh, you’ll look fine, no boyfriend of mine is going to go out looking bad,” he smirked, looking at the list again. He didn’t notice me gasp as he continued down the list, his obliviousness a gift to me. “We just have to look at the plans of where people are sitting and make a conclusion on which room we’re going to take the rock thing to to interrogate him. Once that’s done, we just have to relay the info and wait for Ilse to make a move.” Looking up, his smile turned into a frown. “What?”

“Um, I guess, the boyfriend thing….”

“Don’t tell me you’re regretting this now,” he whispered, his eyes filled with worry. “I don’t know if I can forgive you if you just break up with me after one day.”

“NO! NO, I mean, I’m just,” I sighed, taking a deep breath. “What are we going to do when we get back to Voltron?”

“What do you mean?”

**“We can’t be like this when we’re with Voltron and the team.”**

“Are you worried about everyone accepting us because we’re two guys?” He asked, looking me in the eye. When I didn’t respond, he lowered his voice. “Or is it something else?”

Rubbing my forehead, I tried to bring my concerns into words. “Look, Voltron needs it’s Leader and it’s not me, so I can totally back off. Maybe, even do something with the Blade. If I did that we wouldn't be able to see each other for a while and what if you get tired of me and-”

“Stop,” he frowned, shaking his head. “Don’t ruin the little time we get together.”

“We have to talk about this-”

“Not now,” he huffed, sitting up as he nibbled his lower lip. Reaching out to touch my face, he grabbed my shoulder and shoved me to the bed. Straddling me, he slotted his thighs right over my hips and stared down at me, eyes charting across my face for an expression. There was no time to gasp as his lips met mine and hand reached into my hair, softly tugging the ponytail holder out and throwing it somewhere in the room. A moan slipped past as he ground his hips down in one fluid motion. My heartbeat quickened and an uncomfortable tightness burn near my abdomen. Lance noticed my excitement and slipped a tongue between my lips, the taste of toothpaste and juice a little off-putting. Neither of us said a word, though, as our breath mingled and I couldn’t find a way to retaliate. It felt like I was losing to the passion in Lance and when I felt the opportunity, I turned my hips, pinning Lance beneath me. He didn’t make a sound as I used this leverage to grind my hips near the base of his ass, his legs twineing at my back. His hands ventured underneath the fabric of my shirt as I licked across his lips, savoring the slightly sweet taste he uniquelly had. 

Lance was getting adventurous as he slipped a finger past the buttons of my pants and popped one open. I was irritated and turned on at the same time, a dangerous combination that I was starting to get addicted to and nearly begging for more. Snatching his hands from my waist, I pinned them above his head and dove in more, each kiss deeper than the last. Lance whined, pushing back against my waist with the curve of his ass. I wanted to moan but I didn’t want him to think that he had a hold on me or at least, let him know that his hold on me was powerful. Looking down at him, I felt goosebumps burn up my spine and heat melt through my skin.  

Lips glistening and swollen, Lance looked so different from his usual flirtatious self. My long sleeved shirt was hiked up his chest, exposing tanned lines and toned abdominal muscles. Raking a hand up the front, I braved another shudder as my fingers found a browned nipple standing up. Brushing my thumb over it, I felt Lance squirm and glanced at Lance’s face. His eyes were squinted nearly shut, just a thin line of those beautiful blues hidden under dark lashes. He was flushed from head to toe and I was sure we were in the same boat. That’s when I realized what we were doing.

“...Ke-Keith?” Lance moaned, his voice husk and low. Turning his thighs in, he peered up at me with disappointment. “I-I know that look, buddy, and this wasn’t only you.”

“I-I’m sorry, I just,” I stumbled, removing my hands and disentangling his legs from me. Lance was shivering with anticipation and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was feeling it to but as my eyes slid over the reddening marks on Lance’s wrist, that was the perfect cold bath. Shaking my head, I lifted out of the bed and headed to the door.

“Where are you going?” Lance shouted, pulling his shirt down and walking to me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he sighed, his other hand tugging on my arm. I wanted to tug away but the warmth of his body was soothing. “Come on, man. You have to talk to me.”

“Fine,” I muttered, turning to face him. He looked just as alluring as he had a moment earlier, except his hair was even more ruffled and his lips were starting to flatten. “You talk first.”

“What do you mean?”

“You tried to stop me from talking about going home,” I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. “Why is that?”

“The castle isn’t our home,” he grumbled, letting me go as he reached into the kitchen. Pulling out some strawberries, he began to munch, hopelessly trying to ignore me.

“It’s the home we have right now,” I responded, sitting on the bed to watch his back. “It’s like you don’t want to talk about life outside of here.”

**“It’s probably cause I don’t,”** he breathed, the sound of his voice weak. 

Did he really just say that?

I wanted to be angry and frustrated and tell him he was childish but I couldn’t find the strength in my voice. His shoulders were hunched over and his sweatpants were falling off of his waist. He looked smaller in the slightly bigger clothing and his voice wasn’t it’s usual annoyingly bright sound. Was he being serious? If I asked the wrong question, I could upset him even more. That was the last thing I wanted, especially since an upset Lance seemed to bother me more than a mad one. 

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, slowly. 

“Exactly what I said,” he snapped, tossing the strawberries back into the fridge. Slamming it shut, he paced in front of me, hands tucked into the pocket of the sweatpants. “It’s been amazing here, Keith.”

What?

“Maybe we should take you back to the healing pod because it has been the opposite of amazing so far,” I joked, obviously doing a terrible job because Lance only frowned. “Maybe that was the wrong thing to say.”

“Aside from the bombing and the battles, it’s been great,” he rephrased, groaning as he tried to explain. “Oh Quiznack this is so embarrassing!”

“What’s embarrassing?”

“You have no idea how you’re looking at me right now!” He started, waving his hands above his head. “Just two seconds ago you were grinding on me and now you’re acting like I’m making sense.”

“You aren’t but I guess I have to start acting like I understand,” I noted, chuckling as he stuck his tongue at me. “Look, I get it. It’s been great not having to rush over to the battlefield and save a planet from destruction but that’s our job. That’s what we signed up for when we found Blue.”

“You don’t understand!” He grunted, flopping cross-legged on the floor. I wanted to understand what he was saying but I wasn’t exactly the best at understanding people. It wasn’t like I didn’t try but there was so much you could do when you barely had any conversations with people because you were scared of messing up. 

“Then explain it to me,” I sighed, moving to the floor to join him. He had stuffed his head into the crevice his arms made on his knees. Mumbling, he lifted his head, eyes narrowed at me.

“You won’t laugh at me?”

“Why would I laugh?”

“Because you enjoy my pain.”

“I don’t enjoy your-”

“You always laugh when I fall and hit my face,” he noted, scrunching his eyebrows. 

“That’s because you look silly when you mess up,” I said, shaking my head as a smile crept up my cheek. Lance looked away from me as the tops of his cheeks turned a little red. I guess if he was going to be embarrassed, I’d have to be a little embarrassed too. “And, I don’t know, you look kinda cute when you mess up.” Lance’s head shot up as he stared at me, hope growing in them. My embarrassment was obviously much larger than his. “Man, nevermind! I knew you’d take it too far!”

“No no no no no,” he chuckled, reaching a hand out to hold mine. “It was a good first try. I understand what you’re trying to do.”

Good. Cause I’m probably never going to do it again. 

Playing with my fingers a bit, the solemn look in his eyes returned. “I don’t want to go back because that means we can’t be around each other like this anymore.”

I didn’t comment as he continued. 

“I know Pidge and Hunk won’t care because I’ve always been bi and they kind of knew and, you know, Hunk knows love is love and Pidge couldn’t give a quiznack,” he started, glancing up to me. “But I don’t know how Shiro’ll respond and Allura seems super traditional. What if she says we can’t be together because we’re both Paladins? What if she thinks two guys together is impossible? What if she makes us quit!”

“She won’t do that.”

“How do we know that?” He whined, ruffling his hair in frustration. “This is all the family you have right now. If we’re forced to leave….”

**“Then we’ll leave,”** I stated, tugging his hand into mine. I hadn’t realized that he was thinking about this in  a negative way. He was always smiles and rainbows so I assumed he was fine and confident. To see that he was thinking just as dark as I have been means he understands the risk we’re taking. I didn’t care if everyone hated me, I knew how that felt already. Hunk, Pidge, Coran, Allura, they were all important to me, sure but if I didn’t have Lance, I don’t know where I’d be now. Shiro would understand if I told him. He knows I wouldn’t just pick anyone and that I wouldn’t just chose without thinking. If that meant I was going to fall in love with a man, then that means I’d fall in love with a man. **“I-I don’t know if I could live without you next to me, Lance. It just seems wrong to even think that you won’t be there when I need you.”**

“Keith,” he breathed, eyes filling with tears. 

“I’m serious, Lance!” I huffed, struggling to find the right words. “I don’t know if it’s at that word yet but I’ve been around you for so long that I can’t imagine a day without you. I’ll miss Hunk, Allura, Pidge and Shiro and even Coran but I don’t know if I could stop being around you.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Then we’ll figure out the rest when it happens,” I smiled, reaching up to wipe the lone tear that had slid down his face. “But for now, let’s enjoy our paradise until we have to leave, okay?”

**And for just a moment, I believed exactly what I had said.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finding out March 2nd means that we get a beautiful new season 5, I have cried several times with anticipation...Will Lotor be a dick or will he be the next love for the lions. Are they going to go along with comics and have lotor pilot a lion because of his impeccable flying skills. Will Zarkon come back with the same murderous intent or are we going to hae a war against something else. I DONT KNOW BUT I WANNA KNOW
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, I hope you love this chapter.


	29. Chapter 29: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I totally forgot that I hadn't posted in two weeks........I'm a horrible author who has left you guys in the dark....forgive me

Paradise was a weird word to describe what Keith and I were going through. We weren’t exactly fighting and we weren’t snuggled up together, falling more and more in love like I had expected we would be.

We just acted like we always had.  

We woke up with the other’s limbs entangled with ours, hands seeking warmth in the most carnal way possible. When we were finally awake, one of us would start breakfast while the other showered. After eating, we’d take a walk through the forest or nap on the couch, things we weren’t really able to do at the Castle. What made it all a bit more special were the little moments where we would hold hands as we walked or the glances that we’d share. 

Those made all of this time that much more. 

Of course, it wasn’t all romance and peace. We still got into petty arguments over who should shower first or who cuddled who at night but they weren’t as loud and rambunctious as they were on the castle ship. For some reason, Keith keeps using my shampoo and conditioner and he uses  **way** too much. Heated touches would always end with Keith backing out just before it got interesting and I wanted to be frustrated but I couldn’t rush him. For all I knew, this could be Keith’s first **real** relationship. He had some experience but that was probably because of how popular he was at the Garrison. Whenever I complimented him, he didn’t really know how to reciprocate and, if he was uncomfortable, he’d just slap on an insult and we’d fight all over again. I could totally understand the space cowboy hating affection or intimacy but he was fine with those. We could hold hands for hours and it wouldn’t bother him but if I started to kiss up his neck or pulled him too close, he’d try to move out of the way. Soon, I realized, if I had to wait a decade before we took the next step, I’d just have to wait. 

Keith was worth it and it was scary how easily I could admit that. 

He made up for his awkwardness, though, when he’d offer to watch a movie or give me a massage, something I still wouldn’t tell him made me feel like the most important being in the world. Somehow, Keith still did his best. 

Unfortunately, he still tried not to bring up the obvious.

One of these days, we’d have to go back and we’d have to figure out if we would be forced to leave or we would have to break up. It wasn’t hard to realize that we were soldiers in the middle of a universal war that affected every facet of  every person's lives. If Allura or Shiro or even the Coalition members believed our relationship was inappropriate or thought we’d break the team up, we’d have to make a choice. 

**Either we’d break up or we’d leave together.**

To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure I could live without Keith in my life. He had become a fixture in my life and I didn’t want him to leave. I had become used to seeing those dark eyes and disheveled head of hair when I first woke up. It was too easy to eat his piled high, double-decker sandwiches for lunch and go for a little training when the suns were getting low. Our routine had become so intertwined that I looked for him when I applied toothpaste and when he was bright eyed and bushy tailed, I’d kiss him in the cheek and start my routine. 

**He was mine.**

Every dark wave, toned muscle, sharp witted piece of him was mine and I wasn’t going to let him go. 

“Why a Hippo, though?” I asked, moving my legs into a more comfortable position on his lap. We were sitting on the bed, a tab laying a good foot away from us and out of reach. My legs had found their way into Keith’s lap and he had decided he’d count each of my fingers over and over again in a weirdly rhythmic sort of way. The tender touches were bearable for the moment but if he continued to mess with my hands, I don’t know if I’d be able to stop myself from wanting to make out with him. I’m a healthy, hormonal human being, that should have been enough to queue him onto my intent. What the hell would stop me from making out with my boyfriend? Logic? I don’t think so. “And what’s up with you and my hands today!”

Keith chuckled, pressing his lips against the tips of my thumb. Flicking my finger against his nose, I watched him scrunch them before snatching my hand back into his. “They’re pretty interesting, I guess.”

“What? The Hippos or my fingers?”

“Both.”

“Oh, thanks, that’s definitely what I wanted to hear from my boyfriend. I’ve got nice fingers,” I muttered, sarcasm seeping into my words. I tried not to smile as a sheepish grin grew on Keith’s face. “Not that my intelligence is interesting or the way I can make you blush, no! It’s the fingers and the Hippo.”

“Don’t pout, idiot,” he grunted, poking me in the side. “These hands do a lot more than you take credit for.”

“Are you trying to say something naughty?” I gasped, covering my mouth as Keith glared at me. Playfully tapping him on the cheek, I continued to tease him. “If that’s your way of flirting, we may need to get you some lessons in the ‘ Art of Seducing’.”

“I don’t need lessons on how to be a dumbass like you,” he joked, pinching the meat of my palm with his nail. I yelped as he brought my hand back to his lips, teasingly licking at my forefinger. Trying my best not to make a noise, I watched as he stared at me, eyes hooded under dark lashes. “This isn’t just about your physical features, Sharpshooter.”

“Then what is it about?”

Pausing a moment, he let a rare, genuine smile melt onto his face.

“These hands can grasp the trigger of a rifle and hit its target every time. They carry goods and gear to members of the coalition and hold up injured comrades,” he started, rubbing his thumb against my wrist. “Each finger trained for years to become a Garrison pilot and now, they’ve piloted the Blue Lion and even Red.”

“Keith, you’re getting kind of deep,” I whispered, looking to those violet eyes but when they finally fell on those hunger filled eyes, I couldn’t remember how to breath. 

“I can’t say it any other way or your idiot brain won’t get it,” he muttered back, laying my hand onto his chest. His heart was beating so slow and smooth that mine just seemed to fall into the same rhythm. “I don’t really get to, um, tell you this but…”

“Keith don’t pull a muscle,” I joked, scrunching the front of his shirt. He looked uncomfortable as he tried and it was cute of him to think of me but I didn’t know if my heart could take anything like that right now. Especially with the heavy look he was giving me. “I don’t need you to say anything.”

“No, I have to tell you,” he huffed, scrunching his fringe as he tried to explain. I couldn’t think of what he was going to say but it was already too soon for either of us. “You have to understand me.”

“Stop pulling your hair, Mullet,” I grumbled, snatching my hand from his and tugging at the ends just by his neck. A crooked smirk made my heart pick up speed as I ran my hands through the soft locks and threaded bits and pieces apart from each other. “I’m starting to like it and if it’s gone I might break up with you.”

“You won’t break up with me,” he smirked, shoving my legs off of his lap and standing. His jeans were low on his hips and the shirt he wore was just tight enough to define the muscles in his back. I’d be embarrassed if someone else saw me gawking but I didn’t have any shame right now and Keith noticed. “You like me too much.”

“Honestly, I just like your body,” I started, slinking off of the bed and following him to the kitchen. His hip was cocked to the side as he looked through the cabinets for something to snack on. Trailing a finger down his spine, I watched him shiver, our usual tension boiling up through the air like a forest fire. It was suffocating, like it always was, and I knew he wanted to push forward but I would take it as slow as I could. “I don’t know, I guess I’m into the short temperamental types.”

“That’s pretty specific,” he retorted, sticking a cookie into his mouth. Turning, he placed his hand right onto my chest, inches away from my heart. “Especially since I’m neither short nor a tempermental.”

“Come on, babe, you know you’re the only temperamental one for me,” I smiled, winking at him. Keith shook his head as he went back to finding a proper snack and I watched him as I raided the box of cookies he left. Jumping onto the counter, I settled myself comfortably and continued our conversation. “You still haven’t told me why you like Hippos.”

“Well, they’re kind of like you,” he started, pulling out some lunch meat from the fridge. “Clumsy, fat and horrible at pick up lines.”

“Hey! I’m not fat!”

“So the clumsy and horrible at pick up lines comment applies to you?” He hummed, making a sandwich. “Glad I got that out of the way.”

“Don’t forget, you fell for the clumsy, fat, and idiotic me,” I pointed out, shoving him in the shoulder. He nearly dropped his sandwich and decided to punch me in the arm because of it. “OW!”

“I nearly dropped my sandwich, dumbass! Pay attention!” He grunted, finishing his sandwich off with a little mayo. Flicking a cookie at his head, I watched him turn red with anger, brows turned down in annoyance.

Smirking, I said, “Oops.”

“You little-” He hissed, dropping his sandwich onto the counter before turning his frustration on meb. Gripping the tops of my thigh, he pinched down hard, our eyes leveled. He was squinting at me in annoyance but the feel of his fingers tightening on my thighs was making me think he was feeling something else.

Come on, Kogane. You can do it.

“You little what?” I whispered, leaning just an inch forward. His grip loosened a bit as he stared me down in a challenge.Taking a long and slow breath, I brought my finger to rest on his lower lip, tilting it forward ever so slightly. Licking my lips, I continued,“Aren’t you supposed to add an insult to that?”

“I can’t wait to smack that smug smile off of your face,” he breathed, the heat of his lips burning against mine as he cleared the gap between us. Gasping, I melted in, molding my lips to match his pace, hasty and slightly sloppy. I wouldn’t lose and I knew he wouldn’t back down no matter what. It was always a competition even though both of us won in the end. I couldn’t admit it but he was addicting and it was insanely hot to watch his face flood with anger and hope of a challenge. That sarcastic smirk made me warm inside and I knew I wanted a piece of it. Dark waves nearly covering violet eyes and that sight alone, made me push deeper, Keith only gripping harder at the tops of my thighs. Kissing the former Red Paladin was rarely soft and tender, his hot blooded nature ultimately taking over. But when he slowed it down just as he was now, I could taste every sweet bit and it was thrilling. I’d never get used to the want bubbling in the pit of my stomach and I’d never get tired of it. Our breath was getting heavier and I could feel his hands moving north to slide under my shirt, hopelessly reaching for something further. Just as a moan was about to erupt from my chest, I pulled back. Keith blinked, tilting his head a little before leaning in for more but I placed my hand on his chest and pushed him away as gently as I could.

A question had been stuck in my mind the past few days and I’d be damned if Keith wasn’t going to answer me. 

“What were you going to give me if I won?”

“What?”

“You said at the race. You’d give me something if I won,” I replied, brushing my thumb against his cheek. “I want to know what you were going to give me.”

Keith blanked for a moment, eyes staring off into the distance as he contemplated what his next move would be. Shaking his head, he leaned forward to press his lips to the corner of my mouth, pulling back a moment later. A blush ran over his nose and neck but he quickly moved away from me, just out of reach. 

“What was that for?” I mumbled, reaching up to my lips. It was annoying how warm they felt even though we hadn’t done anything worth blushing over. I was acting like this was my first kiss or something. 

“That’s what I was going to give you,” he answered, looking away from me as he reached for his sandwich. Stuffing a mouth full in, he chewed slowly, giving me the opportunity to just watch him. 

**“A kiss…….?”**

Keith nodded once before going back to his sandwich. Stifling a laugh, I said, “To think, Keith Kogane, top Pilot at the Garrison and Leader of the Lions of Voltron planned on kissing me as soon as I won.” Leaning back against the cabinets, I smiled,“This world has finally gone apples and bananas!”

“Shut it, stupid,” he grumbled, wolfing down the sandwich in seconds. Even as crumbs fell onto the front of his shirt and mustard leaked out and onto his cheek, he looked handsome as ever. It was almost like a dream to see him so close and so in reach. Something like wonder made me yearn to hold his hands in mine and stay like that forever. I’d have his back and he’d have mine. We weren’t just companions, teammates, or part of a group anymore. We were something like lovers but not quite like boyfriends. I don’t know, but it’s even harder to describe the ache in my chest that seemed to come up every time we touched. 

Our little piece of heaven was going to slowly fall out of the sky and we didn’t know how to pick it back up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BLESS BE THE CUTSIE FLUFF! Now it's time to smoke some bitches


	30. Chapter 30: Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO HASN'T WATCHED SEASON 5 YET!  
> THIS GAL  
> WHY  
> CAUSE IM BUSY AS FUCK AND I DONT HAVE TIME!!!!!  
> ALL THE SPOILERS ONLINE ARE KILLING ME!

Falthelee, Malone and Ray walked in just after we woke up. We only had moments to get dressed, somewhat alone, and as we looked at each other in the fogged mirror of the bathroom, we knew. After today, there was no assurance of our future. If we saved Bellterr after today, we’d head back to our Lions and team. From there, we’d either be a part of the team or we wouldn’t. 

**Simple as that.**   

These early morning routines of waking up and brushing our hair, sharing toothpaste and splashing each other with water were quickly going to end. If there was anything I could remember no matter what, it’d be our time together over the past few days. I had felt free and all of the stress from leading the team, protecting the universe and even training had disappeared. Even though I wouldn’t admit this to Lance, I was grateful that he’d forced me to relax with him. I was able to get a firmer understanding of the guy and see where he and I had become so close. And, man, it was embarrassing to admit but he had quickly become someone really important to me.

**Was I really this attached to someone I had only just learned I had fallen in love with?**

Cleaning up the counter and tugging the back of Lance’s shirt out of his pants, I stepped out of the bathroom. Sitting at the kitchen table was the councilman and the Sephyr couple, each having a perplexed look on their face. 

“Are Humans such distasteful being that they leave their clothing everywhere once they’ve dirtied it?” Falthelee touted, nose turned into the air. The guy still pissed me off more than anything because he messaged Lance more than anyone should but his better than thou behavior was getting on my damned nerve. I understood our room wasn’t the cleanest it had been but we didn’t have servants to clean after us. “Or are you just particularly disgusting?”

“Sometimes, Humans just walk around naked so they don’t have to clean anything,” Lance retorted, causing the look of disgust on the Aliens face to grow. “And when we’re young we don’t clean anything! Just let it all ferment in bacteria for a few days”

“Don’t tell him that-”

“And to conserve water, they’d bathe together,” he continued, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Ask Keith, we just bathe together every day instead of wasting water.”

“Lance!” I jumped, punching him in the arm. Lance winced but kept the bright smile on his face. “That’s never happened-”

“Gah! Disgusting! I can’t believe I touched one of you,” Falthelee growled, wiping his hands on his pants. “I trust you’ve bathed separately? At least in the last few days.”

“He wouldn’t be alive if he chose not to bathe,” I said, smirking at Lance. He had a proud smile on his face as he threw himself onto the couch, leaving just enough space for me to join him. I carefully slid in beside him and felt his arm slide behind me to tug me closer.

“So, what’s the plan?” Lance asked, thumb unconsciously rubbing up the side of my hip. “Other than the usual ‘Look dashing and flirt with the ladies’.”

“Nothing has changed since the last time we spoke,” Malone hummed, patting Ray on the shoulder. “Get as much information out of the councilman as you can’t, I mean, can. Any information you can steal would make the mission easier.”

“We also brought the outfits for tonight and we tried to stay as close to the traditional ball attire worn by the people of Bellterr,” Ray added, pointing to two packages on the table. One was blue and the other was red, probably to show which was mine and which was Lance’s. The moment Lance noticed his, he snatched it off of the table and tore into it. Immediately his jaw dropped, hands pulling at the layers of clothing inside. As I tried to peer over his shoulder, he shut the package, nearly sprinting to the bathroom and slamming the door behind him.

Staring Ray and Malone down, I reached for my package and started to open it but stopped as soon as Malone cleared her throat. 

“You may want to wait until you see Lance’s outfit before opening yours,” she smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “It will be something you’ll want to remember.”

Just as I was about to say something, the door opened.

Tanned planes of brown shone under the sown cuts of a loose, midriff blue shirt that barely covered the wearers ribcage. My eyes travelled up lean arms and sharp shoulders where small cuts and openings exposed more blemish-free skin. The sight was immediately forgotten as I saw the low riding jeans he wore. They were only a bit darker than his shirt and low enough that the V of his hips were exposed. Though the bottoms had a few pockets in questionable areas, they weren’t meant to do anything more than accentuate his long legs and sculpted calves. As he did a small spin, I noticed the back had a perfect stripe down the middle where his spine could be seen, a small piece of see through fabric keeping his skin modestly covered. 

To be honest, the outfit showed off his long, lithe body in every way that made my chest hurt and eyes travel all over his body. Every toned curve and sun-kissed piece of flesh he showed now was hard to look away from. I wanted to reach out and touch him but another part of me didn’t want him to go outside in something like this. It was too intimate and showed too much of him that I hadn’t even had the change to explore yet. 

Why the heck did some creepy rock alien get to put his hand on what’s mine? Especially in this outfit!

“What do you think?” He smiled, spinning one more time. Just that small movement made the shirt ride a little higher and it was unmistakable. Everyone would be watching him in this tonight and when there was a party, there was dancing.  Lance would dance with everyone if he had the chance and their hands would be on his body. “Dashing? Perfect? Utterly Man-erific? Almost like a fashionable Prince right?”

“I hate it,” I muttered, watching the shine of excitement rush out of his eyes. I felt horrible saying it but I couldn’t let him go out like that! It wasn’t fair if he was able to be seen like that and I hadn’t-

**No.**

He wasn’t going out in that.

“What are you, Cinderella’s Step Sister?” He grumbled, crossing his arms and cocking his hip. “I think I look pretty great in this!”

“I think he looks fantastic,” Falthelee smirked, his eyes watching my facial expressions. I didn’t want him to notice and if I had my way, he wouldn’t even be here.  “Very charming. He’s dressed appropriately for the dinner too. There’s a lot of dancing and he needs the….freedom.”

“There’s no way he’s going outside like that,” I retorted, tossing my package onto the seat. “He’ll wear something else.”

“That isn’t fair!” Lance shouted, stomping his foot into the ground. “Why can’t I wear what I want to?”

“B-Because it’s inappropriate,” I retorted, frowning deeper as I stammered. 

“How is wearing what I want to inappropriate? I’m not a kid!” He grumbled, staring me down. 

“Yeah, but you’re in a, um, you and I,” I started, but my voice stuck in my throat. “You know what I mean!”

“No I don’t! You never!”

“Enough!” Malone shouted, eyes stern and smile growing. “I think it best if you compromise, Lance. Ray’s outfit is a little….eccentric, I believe is the world.”

“But it was created to accentuate his form-” Ray started but Lance conceded.

“Fine,” he grunted, throwing himself on the bed. “I won’t wear this though it obviously makes me look super good.” Crossing his legs, he looked to me, eyes narrowed. “But if I can’t wear what I have on, you have to try on Ray’s outfit and let me see it.”

Looking down to the discarded package, I hesitated. 

If Lance’s outfit was like this, I had to wonder what mine looked like.

“His outfit is definitely more risky than yours….” Ray noted, glancing down at the bag. “But I think that’s a fair trade.”

“Agreed,” Malone smiled, Falthelee following along with a smile of his own. 

“What?” I snapped, looking from Sephyr to another. “That’s not, I mean, that can’t be right!”

“You can’t be mad,” Lance replied, a smug smile on his face. “It’s only fair.”

“How is this fair?” I mumbled, staring at the former Blue Paladin in annoyance. He just smiled wider, raising his eyebrow in a teasing dare. Snatching the bag off of the table, I stomped into the bathroom, giving Lance one last glare. 

Once inside, I immediately regretted my decision. 

Ripping the bag open, I found two pieces of clothing, one red and one white. The red piece looked more like a nearly sheer piece of cloth. The other, was pure white and weren’t long enough to be pants.  As I pulled apart the long piece of blood red cloth, I noticed a gold zipper. Tugging it open, I noticed the arm holes just beside it. 

This thing was the shirt…

Grumbling under my breath, I stripped down to my underwear and slid my arm through the holes, zipping it up at the top. Looking in the mirror, I felt even more like an idiot. My hair was messy and the front of the cloth covering was barely long enough to cover my stomach. Belly button out and shorts feeling more like spandex in my hand, I was completely out of my element. Huffing, I yanked the zipper down, immediately snagging it on a piece of cloth halfway down. Tugging a second, third and fourth time, I dug my grave even deeper.

“Really…” 

Pulling two more times only made it worse and I quickly gave up. Somehow, someway, I’d have to get this thing off of me. My only chance was to cut it off and my blade and scissors were in the room. Unfortunately, we had  company, which meant that I would have to put on my jeans. Reaching for my jeans, I felt the damp pool of water just around the crotch area. 

Great.

I had thrown the pants into the sink instead of the counter. Now my only option was to pull on those shorts and go outside, doing exactly what Lance wanted. Snatching the shorts off of the counter, I tugged them on, happy they at least reached just below my knees. Even though the length was okay, the skin-like tightness was something I didn't want to get used to. It reminded me of the thermo suits we wore underneath our armor. It stuck in all the wrong places and certain parts of it were tighter than the other. 

That’s when a knock sounded on the door.

“You okay in there, bud? You’ve been in there for a while and I’m starting to think you fell into the toilet again,” Lance said, the door groaning at the weight of his body.

“No uh, yeah, I just…….I can’t fix the zipper,” I mumbled, the sound echoing through the quiet bathroom. “But I can figure it out if you could bring me a pair of scissors or something to cut it with.” A chuckle chimed from the outside of the door before it opened, Lance popping his head in. He was dressed in jeans and a comfortable blue shirt, his signature army green jacket around his waist. It was a little disappointing to see him in this but it was for the best. Some sacrifices were necessary. Smiling, he slid himself in the door and shut it behind him. “Don’t have that stupid smirk on your face, I could get it off if I had scissors.”

“It’s not a smirk,” he chuckled, covering his mouth immediately. “It’s just kind of adorable that you have a problem with a zipper but don’t have a problem creating explosions.”

“First off, it’s not adorable, it’s a headache. And secondly, those are pieces that fit together perfectly,” I retorted, leaning against the bathroom counter. “This is different. The only piece of clothing I have with a zipper are my pants and the suits underneath our armor. Those don’t snag.”

“There goes my dream of seeing you in one of those white jumpsuits found at the space mall,” he joked, moving to stand in front of me. His gaze travelling to the length of the shorts and the small strip of skin between the bottoms and the top. Trailing a finger over my lower belly, he said, “This outfit, though, is probably one of my favorites.”

“Well, I’m not wearing this,” I grumbled, swatting his hand away from my stomach. “I can’t believe Ray thought I would wear something like this outside.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t,” Lance muttered, reaching for the waistband of the shorts. Pulling it back, he smiled, voice low and filled with amusement. “I don’t want anyone to see you in this but me.” 

A shiver ran up my spine at his voice but I hid it as best as I could, moving his hand from around my waist. Reaching for the zipper on the top, I pulled, quickly gathering Lance’s attention. The zipper hadn’t moved an inch since before and as Lance slowly, tugged at it, it only seemed to get worse. 

“Maybe you should go get the scissors,” I whispered, placing my hand on Lance’s. It felt warm and smooth, a sensation I could only equate to his continuous creme method. 

“Or maybe I should just keep trying to undress you,” he retorted, head tilting in my direction.

It felt like a challenge.

The sound of his voice was almost like a taunt and the firmness in those eyes meant that he wasn’t kidding anymore. The first thought in my head was to let him but I quickly realized that wasn’t something we should do. Neither one of us was ready for what could follow. I had no experience in dating a person and with the way things were going, I could feel that we were going a little too fast. In a few weeks, maybe even days, we would be back on the castle ship fighting the Galra. Who's to say that we wouldn’t be ostracized for our relationship? I don’t know if I could live a day without waking up next to Lance. If we were welcomed, I knew that Shiro would make us stay far away from one another during missions. Lance’s shooting and my hand to hand combat were a perfect match. We’d spent weeks working on it and as the leader, or at least the leader now, I had every right to partner up with him. 

It was only going to get harder and the heat in his eyes were burning hotter and faster with each day.

I don’t know how long I was going to last against him or how long I could last against my own desires. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I muttered, pulling his hand from the zipper. “Just grab the scissors for me before I rip the shirt Ray worked really hard on.”

“.....fine,” he mumbled, giving me a final look before heading out the door. Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself onto the counter, letting my head rest against the mirror. 

**Our relationship was different and soon I was going to have to figure out how far I’d go for it.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyeyey  
> sooooooooooooo I hope you guys are fine with this chapter because after this, there's gonna be a lot to understand and comprehend and some stuff that's going to cause a shit ton of problems and you're gonna meet some hard times.......prepare yourselves


	31. Chapter 31: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am the worst person on the planet....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me

After heavy debate and a few costume changes, Lance and I were finally dressed for this stupid King’s Dinner. Lance decided on a pair of comfortable black pants that hugged him nicely, a dark blue blazer and clean collared shirt to finish it off. My clothes nearly matched his minus the blazer and all of it was surprisingly comfortable. Exposed red suspenders and a ridiculous red bow-tie just made me feel even more self-conscious than normal but I was quickly over it with a little help from the cool blade hidden under my tucked shirt. A detachable strap kept our Bayards in safe mode on our hips and, even though I insisted it stay on, Lance’s health band was left on the counter. According to him, it didn’t match the rest of his outfit and I didn’t feel like fighting.

On the way up, Malone explained a few things. She was dressed in all black, her blue skin nearly invisible. Ray had also dressed for the mission and carried along a broadsword on his back, something that he would be able to handle but I didn’t say anything. Falthelee had to attend the banquet and his outfit was more on the crazier side than ours. The man was a few inches taller than me but somehow managed to look small in the miles of cloth he had around him. The pants weren’t any better and I wondered how the guy hadn’t tripped over himself yet. Must have been something his species was used to.  

“Now, you are to spend as much time together as…...what’s that word? Humini? Humanly? Yes, humanly possible,” she started, tail flicking back and forth in anxiety. She still had her signature smile on her face but, after knowing the alien for a while, I understood the little queues about her that weren’t the usual happy go lucky Malone we knew. “And no rhino business!”

“Oh, I don’t know if I can promise no rhino business,” Lance chuckled, immediately getting swatted by Falthelee.

“You understand what she means, Lance,” the councilman muttered, readjusting the curves of his outfit. “This has to be done as discreetly as possible without warranting suspicion.”

“I can do discrete and silent,” Lance started, his eyebrow quirking higher. “When I was at the Garrison they used to call me-”

“The tailor, I know,” I grumbled, smacking my hand over his mouth. Lance retaliated by licking my hand, the second most childish thing he’d done in the last hour. “Ew!”

“I wasn’t only called the tailor, Samurai,” he retorted, wiping his mouth clear of saliva. Applying some chapstick, he winked at me. “I was also called the Cautious Pilot.”

“If that’s not bull, I don’t know what is,” I remarked, immediately looking out of the pod window. 

“Don’t be upset because I’m a completely better and more reliable pilot than you, Keith.”

“Really, because I distinctly remember weaving through an impossible asteroid field to catch bandits that had stolen your lion because you were flirting with an alien thief,” I responded, smirking as his jaw twitched in agitation. “Or did you forget that moment too?”

“You’re still harping on that huh-”

“Enough,” Malone growled, her face emotionless. This was as angry as she’d ever get in face and even then, it was a bit scary. “Do you not remember that you are both risking your lives to do this mission?”

“Yeah, we know,” Lance said, looking to me. I nodded in confirmation as Lance reached for my hand and I didn’t want to let go. “We can’t worry about stuff we can’t control. We just have to push through. Just like we always do.”

“Mhhm,” I added, tightening my grip on his hand. I hadn’t noticed but I had started to shake with anticipation. Every fiber of my body was telling me that something was off and wrong, something in the air or in the Universe that wasn’t right. Thinking realistically, tonight would be a good chance for the Galra to get to the King as soon as possible. Whatever we did would help but I couldn’t fight the feeling that something was going to happen and it was going to be a long night.

I hope we’re ready for it. 

  
  
  


**This was going to be bad.**

The pod had to have dropped us into the wrong area or I was hallucinating because this  King’s Ball looked nothing like what I thought it would be. Hoverboards, blankets and chairs were settled around a lush purple field where a stage held the band of several aliens and droids playing abstract instruments. Trees with leaves the size of canopies were filled with food of all different sizes and colors, some looking more edible than other. Black vines enclosed several parts of the field almost like privacy fence against wandering eyes and few groups walked in with glasses in their hands. Couples sat nestled into each other while swaying to music and others danced in the empty grounds almost in a trance. A low lying smoke huddled around certain groups and all of them looked like they were enjoying themselves way too much. Keeping a keen eye out for the stupid clouds of smoke, I stayed close to Lance, careful for the stumbling groups of aliens walking past and the too familiar drunkard. 

**If anything, Lance and I stood out way too much.**

We were ridiculously overdressed and weren’t having as much fun as everyone else. Malone and Ray seemed to vanish as soon as we stepped foot on land and Falthelee disappeared so he could flirt with a few of the Bellterans close by. Lance’s face lit up as he watched the fluttering light of Faris streaming over the crowd and even danced a little to the music playing in the background. I was sure I looked more overwhelmed than he did and I could feel the hairs on my neck stand up. I know I said I would adjust but that was more on the fighting side rather than the party side.

“We should’ve kept the clothes Ray made us,” he whispered, hand slipping into mine. 

“Why would you want to barely wear any clothes to something like this?” I asked, looking around the field as several groups filed by. “Unlike you, I like wearing clothes on my entire body.”

“Maybe we would fit in a little more if we wore them,” he replied, tugging me to a nearby blanket. A couple was crouched in the corner sipping bubbling red liquid out of ridiculously long glasses, far too busy in each other’s eyes to notice us. A nearby couple offered us glasses and we took them, carefully sniffing them before placing them at our sides. “And you didn't look as bad as you think you did.”

“I felt weird and exposed,” I answered, leaning back and letting go of his hand. 

“At some point you’re going to have to be weird and exposed for me,” he joked, adding a wink at the end. My eyes bulged wide and he looked shocked at what he said himself as he cleared his throat. “Um, maybe we should look for the councilmen.”

“It shouldn’t be hard to find a walking mountain,” I muttered, trying to look away from the fumbling Lance. I realized a long time ago that we were on different levels in this relationship but I couldn’t find a way to comfortably settle into his groove. I had just started to get used to the extra physical contact and now he wanted more. It seemed so easy for the aliens around us to just flaunt what they had. They honestly looked ridiculous in their revealing clothing and layers of smoke but they were happy and free with the person they loved. This was like a bad remake of a Woodstock movie but it should make me want to be closer to Lance. Giving up control was hard for me and I didn’t mean control of a situation. There were things my heart did and body did when Lance was around that I hadn’t felt before. How was I supposed to just let them happen and not try to stop it? Just as I was about to say something, a shadow loomed over us, darkening the light of the Faris around us. 

“Garackme nea sig!” 

Instinctively reaching for my Bayard strap, I looked up to a large man dressed in all white. Face darkened in shadows and mouth wide as he breathed, the creature was looming and hard. He had small, black slits for eyes and a carved outline for a face. The alien swayed side to side, brown drool leaking from his lips as he brought the glass up to his mouth. 

“Whoa, rock dude, buddy, you may want to slow down on the champagne,” Lance chuckled, standing. Following suit, I stood at full height, eyes meeting the councilman's chest. Lance was no better as he tried to keep the alien upright. “Might want to stop in general.”

“Garackkme, I means it, hi,” he slurred, patting the back of his head. The long piece of white cloth he wore as clothes draped behind him like a wedding gown and it didn’t cover his arms. In fact, his arms were literal boulders, no muscle or bone visible. As he scratched the back of his head, pebbles and dust chipped off of his shoulders before falling to the ground in a pile. “I’m Cancel-man, Aklimadrozzzzzzzz. Fatereleeez says yousa want to talk.”

“Oh, Councilman Aklimadros, nice to meet you,” Lance started, ignoring the man’s inebriated state and shaking his hand. The boulder tipped a bit in Lance’s direction and I almost grabbed to pull him out of the way but Aklimadros fixed his position once more, clinking the glass against his thin, pebbled lips. 

This guy was our target?

It wouldn’t be that hard to beat him up if he was already this drunk. It’ll be even easier to interrogate him.

“Now, Councilman, why don’t we get another glass to celebrate? You know, since we just met and all,” Lance suggested, leaning an arm over Aklimadros’ arm. The alien turned a bright red as Lance batted his eyes and turned on his surefire grin. It was hilarious and oddly jarring to see the alien turn that color, especially since Lance made him look like that. Shay could get flustered and flushed but she wasn’t like this walking mountain. It was like watching a climbing wall move. Lance looked at me urgently, eyes pointingly glancing at his arm around the Councilman’s. “Isn’t that right, Keith?”

“You want me to….?” I whispered and Lance quickly laughed to cover it up. 

“You’re so funny, Aklimadros!” He chuckled, snatching my arm nearly out of it’s socket. Intertwining it with his, he muttered low and sharp. “Can you get in the flirting mood please? I’m doing all the work here!”

“I’ve never done this before, stupid, I can’t just magically start flirting with a rock,” I grumbled, shoving him in the shoulder. Lance nearly lost his footing and pushed the boulder into a nearby tree. Losing his balance, he tipped forward, falling flat on his face with a deep thud. “Oh….quiznak.”

“Look what you did!” He hissed, leaning forward. Tugging his arm, he helped pull the councilmen to his feet, purple grass stains covering his face. “Nice job, ‘Team Leader’.”

“If you would have just left me alone we would have been fine!”

“How is this any of my fault?” Lance growled, throwing his arms above his head. “If you would just act like me, we wouldn’t be in this mess you stupid antisocial emo.”

“What the hell was I supposed to do? Tell him he rocks my world or something?”

“Yes! That would have been acceptable!” He shouted, eyes wide as he struggled to hold the alien up. “Something other than just standing there like a turkey on Thanksgiving.”

“Wasnit to yooo!”

“Great. I think you broke him,” Lance muttered, nodding for me to grab his other arm. “At least no one noticed him fall flat on his face.”

“No way anyone’s that oblivious,” I mumbled, glancing around me. Everyone was too engrossed into their partner to notice the mountain cause an earthquake. The only one that seemed to notice was Falthelee and he just frowned. Heaving, Lance and I helped him up and walked towards an empty area without smoke or the occasional drunk couple. “Guess not. This should be pretty easy then.”

Nodding, Lance helped lean Aklimadros against a tree and squatted in front of him. “Alrighty then, Aki, tell us what we need to know. Who’s in charge of this whole overrun Bellterr thingy?”

“Did you really just ask him a question like that?” I chuckled, earning a sour glare from Lance.

“If I interrogated like you, I’d have already sliced off a finger by now,” he retorted, crossing his arms. 

“I’ve never done th-”

“Gikamdi ro spaghetti!” Lance and I peered over to the alien as he patted his chest and made little noises like a newborn. 

“Is he speaking English or his language?” Lance asked, scratching the back of his neck. 

“Let’s see,” I muttered, tapping the top of my health band. As the screen popped up, I clicked on a tab Malone had suggested, opening it in seconds. “This is supposed to be a dictionary.”

“How am I supposed to read that?” Lance gasped, poking at the tab to scroll. Somehow the idiot pressed the wrong button and completely closed it, deleting the tab and shutting my band off. “Whoops….”

“Idiot!” I growled, shoving him over as I tried to turn my band back on. Of course, the stupid thing didn’t turn back on. “Now what are we supposed to do?”

“Uh, maybe Falthelee has one on hand,” he suggested, shrugging his shoulders as he looked to the party behind us. “I’m sure we can leave the rock dude here and be back in a second.”

“How about you go and I stay?” 

“How about  **you** go and I stay? Why do I have to always be the messenger just cause you’re antisocial?” He retorted, crossing his arms. 

“It has nothing to do with me being antisocial-”

“So you admit you aren’t a people person,” he smirked, a sparkle of victory in those blue eyes. 

“Why are you so annoying?” I groaned, shoving past him.

“You meant to say handsome!” He shouted but I didn’t turn my head as I trudge forward toward the groups of ugly smoke. Sitting next to a bodacious alien with four tentacles sprouting out of her back was Falthelee. A flute filled with thick green liquid was pressed towards his lips and he had earned a few touches of paint for his face. 

“There’s my favorite couple!” He shouted, boisterously waving his arms. The group around him started smiling and cheering as we stood and Falthelee took the praise. “What brings my dear Paladins so close?”

“We’ve kinda got a problem,” Lance started, shuffling his feet.

Eyes turned to slits as he peeled himself from his companions arm and nodded to the drink bar. Lance and I walked just behind him, carefully watching the inebriated alien walk over to more drinks. Pouring a few drinks in short glasses he offered them to us, smiling as he did so. Lance immediately hesitated and I looked into the bottom of the glass. After the last time he poured us drinks I wasn’t exactly trusting.

“It’s fine, I didn’t poison it this time,” he reassured, pouring the same drink into his glass and gulping it down. “See? Completely safe Opsari Jell Juive.”

“Is it safe for humans?” I asked, glancing to Lance. 

“I don’t think that’s an appropriate question for you,” he retorted, quirking an eyebrow. I tried to ignore him as he cocked his hip to the side and grinned. “It’s safe for Humans and Galra alike.”

“Well, I guess…..”

“Then bottoms up,” Lance replied, his face curved in disgust. Chugging the glass in two fierce guzzles, he gasped, slamming the glass onto the table beside him. “WHOO! That hits harder than tequila!”

“You’ve had tequila? Your underaged!”

“Stop being such a square, Mullet, chug it down like a man!” Lance chuckled, slapping me on the shoulder. Dipping his hand into a bucket of luminescent paint, he smeared it over his face in the shape of a claw. Falthelee smiled as he reached for me. “Come on, Keith, have a little fun!”Giving in, I let him smear paint across my face, completely ignoring the way it clunked up my hair and stuck to my cheek. “Yeah! Now drink up!”I  glared at Lance before taking a deep breath and gulping down the sludge in two gulps. It didn’t have an actual taste until I swallowed and my entire mouth burned like I was inhaling smoke.

It tasted worse than the Nunvill and made me want to gag all over again.

“Gah! Disgusting!” I grumbled, trying to get the taste out of my mouth but suddenly, it was gone. “What the?”

“Opsari Jell Juice tastes different to each drinker for different amounts of time,” Falthelee explained, pouring himself and Lance another drink. “For some, it tastes great for others not so much. The effects are different for each person too.”

Effects?

Taking an internal check, I quickly noticed that nothing was wrong.  I didn’t feel hot like I had before and no part of me felt different. Looking to Lance, I realized that it was a completely different story for him. His body had become lax and slow as he swayed silently to the music in the background. Hands had reached for his hair and mushed the curls around his face, desperately grasping for something. The buttons of his blazer were stripped open and his forehead glistened with sweat. 

“.....Lance?” 

“Yes, babe,” he giggled, leaning forward and pressing a kiss against my face.

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m fantastically fantastic and handsomely handsome,” he smiled, draping an arm over my shoulders and kissing up my neck. “I’m Lancey Lance after all! The perfect lover!”

“Lance what the-”

“Ain’t no shame if it’s love, Keef,” he hummed, nuzzling closer into my neck. Suddenly, I felt his teeth nip against my neck followed by the dampness of his tongue again. A moan rumbled in my chest but it was quickly quenched as a person yelled into the crowd.

“What in all that is quinacking quintant is going on!” 

**It couldn’t….**

Turning, I watched a pair stepped through the smoke, each step more domineering then the next. One character wore protective armor in a telltale black and the other wore a gown that accentuated her long white hair. For a moment, I was happy to see such familiar faces but in that same moment I realized that Lance’s face was still in my neck. As the smoke cleared and a frown was etched into Shiro’s face, I knew they were angry. 

“Keith,” he growled, eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms.

Scratch that. He was completely angry.

“Razzle Dazzle time, baby!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I took so long, it's been a crazy few weeks with work and applying for school abroad and just gah! I should have just uploaded a short at least....I'm so sorry....


	32. Chapter 32: Keith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DO NOT HATE ON MY BABES

To say that Allura and Shiro were angry was a bit of an understatement. 

To be honest, they were pissed. 

They didn’t say a word as we walked to the pod waiting just on the outskirts of the party. Falthelee followed close behind and for the most part, Lance was quiet, for now. Even though the idiot was nearly mute, he didn’t stop touching me, even when Shiro and Allura looked to me for an answer. I looked away, too nervous about what they’re response would be. Lance wasn’t exactly coherent as he clutched my hand and whispered my name a few too many times. When the pod landed, I slowly realized that we were back at the Arena and headed towards the King’s chambers. Once inside, Shiro and Allura seated themselves just by the water fountain, a couch prepared for Lance and I horizontal to them. 

For some reason, he had stopped calling my name and the flush in his skin had slowly disappeared. Lance wouldn’t let go of my hand, though, and I didn’t really want him to as we sat down. Allura blatantly stared at our joined hands but Shiro…..well, Shiro only looked to me. It was one of the few looks he gave me when I was doing something he disapproved of. To be honest, I was getting these looks more often lately. 

“Am I crazy to think that you two have been running around this planet for a few months because you needed a vacation or because you two were captured? Because it honestly seemed like you decided to just attend some party and hang out in the forest rather than protect the Universe like you were tasked to do,” Shiro started, his arms crossed over his chest. I wanted to snap back at his sarcasm but Lance’s hand on my thigh slowed me down. “You left the team and headed off by yourselves! What were you thinking!”

“It’s great to see you again, buddy,” he smiled, eyes a little tired as he glanced between Allura and Shiro. “I guess you don’t really know but we’ve been trying to leave since the moment we got here.”

“I, somehow, can’t believe you,” Allura noted, looking between us. “You’ve been gone for over twelve movements! You didn’t even send out a distress message and we thought the worst had happened!”

“And we’re sorry, but there are rules here that you have to follow and it’s ridiculous, but we couldn’t do anything about it,” he tried to explain but they didn’t seem to agree.

“You obviously didn’t try hard enough,” Shiro huffed, glaring at me. “I expected better from you. Especially since you had to become a leader to the team.”

“I-I tried everything I could to make sure we could leave, Shiro-”

“And I’m disappointed in your efforts,” he said, a frown settling on his face. “As a leader, you should have figured it out. It’s been three months without all of the lions and Hunk and Pidge have had to fight more than they should. We couldn’t form Voltron and Red was practically left abandoned.”

“All of the coalition feared the worst,” Allura added, hand resting on her temple. “There were millions of beings out there in search of you two and even more people in fear that Voltron was gone!”

“And we’re sorry but none of this is completely our fault!” Lance replied, frustration causing him to shake.

“Nothing is ever your fault is it,” Shiro responded, the sound echoing through the empty room. 

“Are Pidge and Hunk..” Lance started, but immediately stopped when he saw Shiro’s face. Allura took this opportunity to fill the quiet air. 

“They are on planet, yes, but they are helping the King out with a few technical problems and the spatial hole that appeared when we came through,” Allura inserted, quietly taking a deep breath. “They are eager to meet you again after so long but we asked that they perform their duties as Paladins and then visit you.”

“They learned to grow up quickly after their two best fighters just disappeared and left them alone,” Shiro added, only making me feel worse about myself.

It was true.

We did leave Pidge and Hunk alone to fend for themselves. 

I knew I was one of the best fighters on the team and Lance was our long range when things got a little too close for comfort. Hunk was our tank and Pidge was our intelligence. Our team had a system that worked perfectly if all of the pieces were together. Without Lance and I, Shiro and Allura had more to do than just their regular leadership duties and Coran probably had to use the castleship more than intended. As a leader, I should have thought more about what the team needed instead of what I wanted. 

**We should have tried harder to leave.**

**We shouldn’t have enjoyed ourselves.**

**We shouldn’t have fallen-**

“Shiro, you aren’t being fair,” Lance commented, his grip on my hand a little tighter. “I did some stupid stuff too. I mean, I do stupid stuff all the time, but this time it was definitely my fault. You can’t blame Keith!”

“I should have stopped you, he’s right,” I whispered, heart sinking as Shiro’s sharp gaze fell to Lance. I didn’t want him to look at Lance like that. Lance had endured more than enough on this stupid planet and he didn’t deserve to get yelled at. He wasn’t the leader and it was my responsibility to protect the team.

“No, Keith, I should have listened to you but I was just sick of us arguing that I just wanted to get a little freedom and-”

“No, that’s fine! I was causing you to feel that way, I should’ve….I should’ve listened to you,” I mumbled, slowly stumbling over my thoughts again. Lance didn’t seem to mind, though, as he ruffled the front of my fringe. 

“We both did a lot of stupid stuff that day, I guess,” he chuckled, the gesture causing his eyes to crinkle in the most perfect way. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling or reaching out to touch a finger to his cheek. 

“What are you doing?” Allura gasped, abruptly pulling us from our conversation. My hand dropped to my side as Lance took a small step back.

“What do you mean?” Lance asked, hands reaching for the collar of his shirt. 

“You’re being…..friendly and….touching each other a lot,” she explained, looking to Shiro for some help but the answer already seemed to be plastered on his face. He had realized quickly enough that Lance and I were different. He probably already knew what type of different too. When Lance took hold of my hand the first time, he had the answer he was dreading and I could see that he didn’t like it.

“They have done nothing wrong,” a soft voice said to our left. I nearly jumped out of the seat as the King herself came into view, her hood off and beautiful face in full view. “I am the one you should blame for all of this trouble.”

“I’m sorry our teammates couldn’t help you as necessary, Your Highness,” Shiro said, bowing his head. “Usually your problem would be solved by now.”

“They have helped us more than you know,” she responded, ushering for a servant to drag a floating seat near her. Once settled, she continued. “Keith and Lance have done everything they can in order to just survive in Bellterr.”

“What do you mean?” Allura responded, eyebrows furrowed.

“Bellterran customs are quite different than others in our galaxy,” Ilse started, eyes trained thoughtlessly to the sky. “I believe there are only a few hundred species that still know Bellterr even exists.”

“That is true, our Green Paladin had a particularly hard time finding this planet,” Allura commented, clasping her hands in her lap. Sitting up a little straighter, she continued.“If it were not for her biological transmitters implanted into every Paladin’s Bayard, I’m sure we would have never found it.”

“Ah, I am sure she is the renowned genius I have heard of,” Ilse chuckled, the sound more like a breath than a laugh. “But I am glad you came at the time you did.”

“I’m sorry if I’m being a bit overzealous, Your Highness, but why exactly did you allow us to land?” Shiro asked, eyes levelled. “You could have easily shot us down or let us burn in the atmosphere just like the graveyard of ships outside of the planet. Why did you let us in?”

“Because we need your help,” she replied, bowing her head. “Our planet is under attack and three of our Kings have been kidnapped by the Galra.”

“Three! I thought-” Lance started but Ilse raised her hand.

“That is why their coming is so opportune,” Ilse replied, waving towards Allura and Shiro. “I am the last King available after tonight's attack.”

“Attack?” Lance asked, eyes wide. “What are you talking about? There wasn’t an attack at the Dinner.”

“Malone and Ray have been captured while trying to get more information on the Galra’s movements,” Ilse answered, head dipping as she spoke.

“What?” I gasped, immediately thinking of Zoey. “Have you told Zoey and the twins?”

“I do not plan on telling them unless it is necessary,” she explained. “I wish to have you withold this information as well.”

“I don’t mind watching them,” I blurted. Lance quietly nodded as Ilse acknowledged us. I ignored the wide eyes of Shiro and Allura as I thought of how scared the little aliens would be if they realized their parents were kidnapped or missing. It wasn’t fair to hold it from them but they were way too young to have to worry about that. “I thought there was another king? The crock or something.”

“Yeah, what happened to the clock dude? I thought he was still around,” Lance asked, leaning forward.

“Kloq was taken during the failed mission,” she whispered, eyes flitting south. “But I do not have long to mourn over his absence. We are tasked to getting him back and restoring the borders of Bellterr before my people are caught in the crosshairs.”

“Voltron will be there to help you,” I exclaimed looking to Lance. He already had that determined look in his eyes that only made me want to unleash him on the Galra now. I could feel myself getting hyped already and the blood was pumping strong and deep. 

Malone and Ray were our friends. 

We’d do anything we could in order to make sure they were safe. 

“Wait,” Shiro said, standing and catching the attention of everyone in the room. “I can’t guarantee our help until I’ve talked with my team. It isn’t fair of any of us to say yes to any of this until we’re sure about the details.”

“I am a bit….confused about your hesitation,” Ilse muttered. “I thought the job of the Voltron Paladins was to help protect the universe from the Galras reign.”

“It is our job, Your Highness but you kidnapped two of our Paladins, hid them on an unknown planet and kept them for over three months,” Allura explained, a sincere smile on her face. “I can understand your circumstances but I’m sure Lance and Keith would like to see their team and Lions for a bit before going into another battle.”

“Oh yeah! I do miss Hunk and Pidge,” Lance sighed, leaning into my shoulder. “And I’m sure they miss you, bud.”

“They don’t miss me as much as they miss you, I’m sure,” I chuckled, nudging him in the thigh. Turning to the King, I bowed my head. “It shouldn’t take us long to give you an answer, Ilse. Just let us talk to everyone and then we can go save, Kloq, Malone and Ray.”

“I hope it will not trouble you but Zoey and her eldest brothers are being watched by a guard at the moment,” she hummed, eyes wandering elsewhere. “Would you mind…….?”

“We can totally babysit for a few hours and I’m sure our resident Space Uncle would love to watch over them while we’re out,” Lance answered, moving to stand. I stood with him and bowed our heads to Ilse before walking off. We didn’t notice the pair tailing us at high speed. When a mechanical hand laid on my shoulder, pulling me back. 

“Don’t think you two are off that quickly,” Shiro proclaimed, causing Lance to turn too. My shoulders immediately stiffened as his fingers tightened. “Why didn’t you two contact us when you had the chance?”

“We didn’t exactly get the chance to be honest,” Lance answered, eyeing Shiro’s hand on my shoulder. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Shiro asked, grip tightening on my shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell **me**?” 

Reaching over with careful fingers, Lance tugged me forward, a good ten or so feet away from Shiro. Glaring towards him, he looked back to me, eyes bright and kind as usual. “I want to hurry up and see Zoey and the twins before we head to the ship. They’ve gotta be bored with those guards around them.”

I unconsciously turned to Shiro, hoping the look on his face would change but it didn’t. His brows were furrowed deeper than before and the corners of his lips. A sheath of white hair made him look less angry but I knew.

He was upset. 

Nodding my head, I followed after Lance, hand sliding up to hold onto his. I knew it wasn’t going to last for long but if I could just have him in my arms for a little longer, maybe all of this wouldn’t seem so bad.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DONT HATE SPACE DAD PLEASE! JUST WAIT!!!!


	33. Chapter 33: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I AM DONE WITH SCHOOL NOWWWWWWWW

Picking up Zoey and the twins was a bit of a struggle.

The guards weren’t exactly on our side since we didn’t look anything like what Zoey’s parents would. 

After all, the little kid was practically blue. 

Nevertheless, my charm and total control of the situation allowed me to take Kaltok, Maltok and Zoey off of their hands. The twins immediately wanted to head for the castleship, both far too excited after being stuck in a room for a few hours. However, Zoey was a bit apprehensive. She stuck her tongue out to the guards as we walked out but didn’t say a word to either Keith or I. The toddler continuously tucked her head into my neck as we walked to a pod and wouldn’t look to anyone that passed us. Even as we put seatbelts around the kids, Zoey refused to let me go. 

“What’s wrong, little bud?” I asked, tucking her under my arm as I wrapped a seatbelt around her. 

“Ilk ba ne kari des Unki Kitan in Unki Lan,” she responded, looking me right in the eye. For a moment, I was a little unnerved, but I shook my head. 

“I don’t understand your language, Zo.”

“She said she is confused as to why Uncle Keith and Uncle Lance picked us up,” Maltok answered, tucking his long tail around the seatbelt. 

“I also have the same question,” Kaltok replied, the pair staring at Keith and I. I looked to Keith for an answer but he immediately looked away, somehow more interested in the pod’s interior than our conversation. 

“Your parents, um, they just wanted us to pick you up,” I replied, quickly, feeling a little bad for lying to the little ones. 

“Why?” Maltok asked, crossing his arms.

“Um...b-because of our Lions, yeah! Our Lions!”

“What’s a ly on?” Kaltok inquired, tilting his head to the side. 

“It’s an animal but ours are a little different,” Keith answered, earning a glare from me. He sheepishly ran a hand through his hair before looking back to the kids. “Ours are telepathic. Like, they can read our minds and talk to us.”

“Why?” 

“Well…..” Keith started, but I had to save the idiot again.

“I’m sure Pidge could answer that when you meet her,” I interceded, looking to the pod’s GPS. “Only a few more ticks and we’ll be at the castleship!”

That seemed to ensure their silence as they looked through the front window with interest in their eyes as the futuristic castleship came into view. It was perched near the base of a mountain and just beside it stood the Green and Yellow Lions. My heart skipped a beat just at the sight of them. It had been so long since I had seen them that I had practically forgot how cool they looked! As the pod neared, a group of Bellterrans parted to allow us through. The twins quickly ran ahead of us towards the Lions with curiosity in their eyes and, damn, it was cute. 

“.....the engine won’t start if you base such rudimentary technology into that hunk of junk you call a quantum carburetor! That’s just basic engineering!”

A smile grew on my face as I looked through the crowd for the tiny green gremlin I called one of my best friends. I knew her voice more than most people, especially since she’s yelled at me more than most people. As I neared, I noticed tufts of hair covered dark rimmed glasses on the face of the Green Paladin. Her signature green jacket and shorts were covered in grease stains and a laptop sat in her lap as she berated the poor engineer that had tested her patience. He looked horrified until a hand was pressed against his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry, man, I make the same mistake all the time,” the Yellow Paladin chuckled, hands covered in mesh gloves. He was dressed in equally dirty attire with a vest filled to the brim with tools and snacks. Clipped around his hip was an array of tools as he rubbed the back of his neck. His fringe was held back by an orange band as he helped the engineer out. “Pidge is just a little hard on people.”

“Sorry for wanting all of this done before Lance and Keith get here,” she muttered, tapping away on her computer. “Once that idiot gets here, he’s going to want to do something stupid and I want to be ready to join him.”

“Is something stupid bringing Keith along?” I shouted, watching as the pair looked in our direction. A split second of realization happened as I barrelled into my two best friends head on, careful not to completely knock them on their asses. Hunk’s incredibly warm body mass was a familiar comfort and the wispy scent of oil and spice filled the air. As I buried my head into the soft curls of the midget next to me, I felt cold cheeks and tiny arms. For a moment, I wanted to stay there but it was awkwardly quiet around us. Tugging away, I took a step back to look at my best friend. His eyes were filled with the usual tears and he wiped them away as he went to pull Keith into a hug. 

“I can’t believe you guys are alright!” He shouted, nearly crushing Keith in his arms. “We were so worried about you!”

“Yeah, idiot!” Pidge grumbled, a smile on her face. “You have no idea how long it took us to find you on this stupid planet.”

“It’s not a stupid planet,” I responded, ruffling the technicians hair just to aggravate her. “This place is actually pretty nice once you get to spend time around here.”

“Sure, after you, you know, sacrifice your body to the Arena!” Hunk retorted, grabbing for another hug. “I heard you were injured enough to be in a wheelchair!”

“I’m fine now,” I replied, pointing to Keith. “You should have seen Mullet over there. He was injured too.”

“Yeah, but Keith is the fighter, he gets injured all the time.”

“What about me! I’m not a fighter?” I whined, earning a laugh from the pair. That’s when I felt tiny hands against my leg, scaring me for a moment before I noticed who it was. “Oh, Zoey! I forgot! Meet your new Uncle and Aunt! Here’s Pidge Holt and Hunk Garrett! Greatest Engineers in the Universe!”

“Hey, little girl,” Hunk smiled, reaching down to shake Zoey’s hand. The infant sniffed his hand before placing her face in is larger hand. Hunk nearly melted as he squished her cheeks and made her giggle. “Oh, she’s so cute!”

“And she’s almost as tall as Pidge!”

“Shut up!” The Yellow Paladin shouted, peering down at the little one. Waving, she said, “Hey Zoey! Do you wanna see the Yellow and Green Lions?”

“R-Ryoons?” She asked, looking up to me.

“Oh, I guess you don’t really know what a Lion is…..” I responded, pointing to the Lions. “Those are Lions. Not regular sized ones but, you know, they do the job.”

“Ryons! Ryons!” Zoey shouted, running towards the Lions. Hunk was hot on her tail as Pidge signed off on a few papers and headed after them. This gave me a few minutes to look to Keith, who had leaned against a box of equipment. 

“Find the twins?”

“They went to the Lions a long time ago so I doubt we’ll see them for a while,” he explained, tucking his gloved hands into his pockets. He glanced over to the castleship, a far look in his eyes. I knew that scrunched nose and forehead anywhere and knew exactly what he was looking for. 

“Wanna go see Red?”

Nodding, he stood, reaching a hand out. For a moment, I didn’t know what he was doing but then I realized, we didn’t have to worry yet. We could still hold onto one another for a little longer. 

  
  
  


The bay was just like I remembered, minus a Lion or two. 

A ton of equipment was around the Black Lion and from what I could assume, it was because they had tried to decipher where we were by using it. But, of course, the Superior Black Lion didn’t tell anyone anything and they were left with good ol’ Red. 

“Well, Hello there beautiful!” I shouted, lifting a hand to touch Red’s paw. It was warm where I touched and as I placed my cheek against a claw, the echo of a bay door opening caught my attention. Low and behold, the fickle Princess had opened up for her old flying partner and let Keith walk in, me hot on his tales. 

Though a little space dusty, everything was just like I remembered. Even my old cup of space punch was in its place! Keith settled into the pilot’s seat like it was right and I wasn’t going to stop him. He and Red had been through a lot and I didn’t have the right to tell him that he couldn’t sit there. That didn’t mean that I wouldn’t mess with him though. 

“What’dya think you’re doing?”

“.....Sitting” he responded, slouching down into the seat. Just to spite me, he smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Why? Does that bother you?”

“Yes,” I responded, crossing my arms. “A little.”

“What are you going to do about it, Sharpshooter?” He smiled, licking his lips. The heat filled my cheeks as multiple inappropriate situations filled my mind. I had seen enough porn at the Garrison to know how this situation could go and they all ended with the hot Captain deflowering his Second in Command in a pilot’s seat. Unfortunately, none of those scenarios matched Keith and I so I was left with something else. 

**A challenge. **  

Chuckling, I tugged the sides of my jeans up enough to give me a little more flexibility. Kicking a leg over Keith’s hips, I settled down onto his lap, carefully praying that Red would forgive me for what I was doing. Keith didn’t seem too surprised as I shifted my hips onto the top of his thighs, settling perfectly at the curve. He looked more than happy to hold me down as he placed his hands on the bend of my hip, thumbs settled into the bone. 

“Is this you doing something about it?” He asked, cocking his head to the side. 

“What were you hoping for?” I smiled, placing a hand at the top of the seat. “Now both of us can sit in the Pilot’s seat.”

“I wasn’t hoping to only sit,” he muttered, reaching a hand up to touch my cheek. His hand was tremendously hot as he pulled my head towards his, our foreheads touching. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward, lips pressing against mine. It only took a second for greed to fill me as I bent further into him, carefully testing the waters. Licking a calm path against his lower lip, I felt rather than heard him moan, the rumble setting my cells on fire. I wanted to touch Keith more as I slid a hand down to his shoulder and into the layers of his jacket, carefully searching for the V of his shirt. When I felt the heat of his skin against my palm, I let my hand search until I was felt goosebumps form on his chest. His hands wandered as well as he slid a hand under my shirt and into the hem of my pants. Heat pooled into the bottom of my stomach as my hips unconsciously moved, tucking me tighter against Keith’s body. “La-Lance!”

“Sorry,” I muttered, not at all meaning what I said as I ground down again, the swell of him against my inner thigh urging me on. One more grind sent tingles up my spine in cooling trails. “Mh, Keith.”

“W-We have to stop!” He gasped, pulling his lips away from mine as he leaned his head against the seat. I ignored him as I settled my face against his neck, pecking against the pale plane of his neck. I found his pulse easily as I nipped at his jugular hard enough to leave a red mark on his pretty white skin. “L-Lance!”

“I heard you,” I whispered, licking against the bottom of Keith’s ear. “But you started it.”

“And I’m stopping it,” he replied, a little firmer than before. I groaned as I pulled away, carefully peeling myself out of his lap and standing. “Lance.”

“What?” I growled, frustration adding a little more bite than I intended. 

“Look, I didn’t mean to….you know?”

“Get horny? It’s perfectly normal, Keith,” I responded, stuffing my hands in my pocket. “You just totally cock blocked me!”

“But we can’t do anything like that in Red,” he replied, standing as well. “She’s a celestial being! That’s wrong!”

“Don’t act like that’s the only reason,” I groaned, leaning against the walls of the Defender. 

“What are you talking about?”

“You do this all the time,” I sighed, fiddling with a few knobs. “You get all hot and bothered than, you know, you just….quit.” Leaning against the board, I flicked the secondary lights on, watching Keith’s face carefully. “Are you regretting this? Regretting….being with me like that?”

“No!” He answered immediately, frustration filling his eyes. “I’d never go as far as I did if I was regretting it!”

“Then why are you stopping! We don’t have anything to lose!”

“We have everything to lose!” He shouted, eyes flaring in anger. Throwing his arms into the air, he began to pace. “Don’t you realize that if everyone finds out about us, we could lose them!”

“That’s not true,” I muttered, watching him move. “Hunk and Pidge don’t care about who we date. They’d probably cheer us on!”

“I’m not worried about them,” he grumbled, his pace quickening. “What about Allura? Coran? Shiro! You saw how Allura and Shiro looked at us before!”

“They’re confused and to be honest, I don’t blame them,” I said, rubbing the corner of my brow to alleviate the incoming headache. “Before we left we were arguing about everything under the sky and now we’re together like we should have been. I know Allura would be happy if we explained it to her. Coran would be even happier that  **we’re** happy!”

“Why are you being so optimistic!” He shouted, staring me down.

“Why are you being so pessimistic!” I returned, giving him the same look. “It’s like you don’t want to be with me.”

**Damn it, I sounded like some clingy girl!**

Honestly, I couldn’t help it! He had been distant lately and I hadn’t noticed but he was acting like us being together was impossible. After all we had been through, he was giving up on what we could become before we even had a chance. I couldn’t control the frustrated tears that filled the corner of my eyes and it made me even angrier to look so weak in front of him. How could I possibly stand beside him if I was going to be so weak. 

“I do want to be with you,” he muttered. I hadn’t noticed that he had stopped pacing and that he stood right before me. Violet orbs of bared down on me with an intense gaze, soft just around the dark crescent of lashes. Taking a deep breath, he sighed heavily, reaching out to touch my cheek. “That’s the problem.”

“Why is that a problem?”

“Because,” he started, running a thumb across my cheek. “I’d do anything to protect you.” Pressing chapped lips against my forehead, he leaned forward to lay his head on my shoulder. Soft locks tickled the side of my neck and his warm breath was on my shoulder. Somehow, I couldn’t breath as I felt his chest lean against mine. His heart beating so hard against his chest that it felt like a drum. “Lance, I don’t know if I can live without you and if that means I can’t be with anyone else for the rest of my life…..that’s okay.”

The weight of his words were heavy as he tried to explain and I was sure I could put those thought into words if I wanted to but I was too scared to.

“Keith…”

**“I can’t live without you,” he breathed, placing a soft kiss against my lips. “I can’t.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I finally finished my exams, classes, everything! All that's left is work and a ton of japanese classes!  
> ANYWHO!!!!!  
> I hope you liked the chapter and get ready cause shits about to get real!


	34. Chapter 34: Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VA VA VOOM

We didn’t move for a while and I honestly didn’t care if we did.

For the first time in a long time, it felt like I was…... **home**.

Sure, it was nothing like the home I had back in California or the place we had created here but it was something special all on it’s own. Here, I could feel his heartbeat against my chest and see the look in his eyes. 

He really cared about me.

Maybe even l-

I couldn’t even think of the word. 

It was a lot to take in and I couldn’t think about anything else the moment he said those words. 

When my shoulder started hurting and Keith was tired of leaning on me, we stood, looking at each other with different eyes. Keith didn’t say much as he clutched my hand in his, fingers interwoven like pieces of thread. I didn’t speak either as we walked out of Red and headed the usual path to the kitchen, ignoring the bright lights and familiarity as best as we could. It seemed like both of us had made up our minds. We didn’t care what everyone thought or how they felt about us as long as we had each other. We had braved so much more than stupid emotions and this was only going to help us grow together, no matter what. 

Reaching the kitchen, we searched for water and drank, probably more out of habit than anything else. That’s when we heard the sound of kids laughing and Hunk’s uber loud bellowing. Keith immediately stiffened but as I rested a hand on his shoulder, he calmed, looking to me with a nod. Hitching up onto the counter, I patted the space beside me for him to join. He smiled softly, jumping up beside me and resting a hand on my thigh, palm open. I slid my hand into his and with confidence, leaned my head onto the top of his. As the group walked in, Zoey immediately ran up to us, using her tiny arms to climb up onto Keith’s lap. Cuddling into the space teensy space where Keith and I’s laps touched, she purred, something I realized she had always done when she was warm. 

The twins rushed in seconds after, immediately rushing towards the goo dispensers to investigate how they worked. Pidge and Hunk were the last to walk in, both too preoccupied in their conversation to notice the little buggers messing with the kitchen. For a moment, they glanced in our direction, but didn’t say a word. At least, until they had to take a double-take.

“Um……..what?” Pidge asked, tilting her head. 

“Hi,” I smiled, leaning further against Keith. I was proud of him for staying so calm, especially since he wasn’t one for public displays of affection. “How was the tour?”

“It went perfectly,” Hunk added, smiling as he looked at the two of us. I knew my buddy would be on my side one hundred percent no matter what. “Kaltok told us that they’re staying with us for a while so we thought the kitchen would be the next best spot.”

“Always thinking about the homey stuff, man,” I smiled, snuggling closer to Zoey and Keith. “You’re going to make one hell of a house husband when we get back to Earth.”

“You got that righ-HEY!” He shouted, causing Keith and I to chuckle. Pidge was still staring us down with intellectual judgement, almost like she was inspecting a species. “Pidge. Wanna help me rustle up some grub for the little aliens?”

The scientist paused as she looked to Hunk with a raised eyebrow. “Are you just going to act like we didn’t just walk in to see Keith and Lance cuddling one another like some cheap Romcom?”

“What’s there to look at?” Hunk responded, smiling to us. “Other than the fact that they look happy, I think everything's fine!”

“I know they look happy,” she responded, moving to the counter. Slapping the countertop, she pushed her glasses against her face. “It’s like watching a volcano and the ocean meet.”

“Doesn’t that make an island?” Hunk asked, reaching for a purple tentacle out of the fridge. “Islands are really nice! I have a cousin that used to live on an islan-”

“Hunk!” Pidge shouted, waving her hand. “This was such an impossible thing that it-it-it’s barely 0.001 percent of a chance!” Looking at us with narrowed eyes, she growled. “You set this up didn’t you!”

“What?” I asked, looking at the gremlin.

“Hunk put you up to this so he would win the bet!”

“What bet?” Keith asked, glancing over to Hunk. The bear continued to hum as he cooked, allowing Maltok and Kaltok to taste.

“Hunk bet that you two would date! He made you do this didn’t he! So he could get the 45 GAC!” She shouted, stunning Keith and I. 

“You two bet whether or not we would date!” I laughed, looking to my best friend. A small smile grew on his face as he began to fry whatever he was making. “I can’t believe you!”

“There’s not a lot to do on the ship and you two were always at each others necks,” he explained, laying the meat into a sauce. “Who would have thought that you would be leaving marks on each others necks instead!”

“Hunk,” Keith groaned, covering his face. A red blush grew on his face and I kind of wanted to make it stay there but that would only embarrass the both of us. 

“Don’t forget to pay me later,” Hunk grinned, looking into the fridge again. Pidge sighed as she admitted defeat, sliding up onto the counter and grabbing a spoon as Hunk handed her a bowl of what could only be his homemade version of ice cream. 

“I give up,” she responded, spooning some ice cream into her mouth. Offering me some, she grabbed another spoon and we went to town. “Are you going to tell us how you guys got together or are we supposed to assume.”

“Did you go on a date or was it something along the lines of PG-13?” Hunk asked.

“And what are you gonna do about Shiro and Allura?” Pidge added, glancing over to Keith more than me. “I’m sure he nearly freaked when he saw you.”

“He wasn’t exactly stoked to see us together like this,” I muttered, looking over to Keith. He didn’t look like he wanted to answer and I was sure he’d ignore the problem as long as he could. Shiro was like an older brother to him and this was a really hard pill to swallow. 

“Shiro’s a reasonable guy,” Hunk coughed, completely silencing our conversation.  “Now about you two. Date or no date?”

“No date, big guy, um, we just kind of…..” I started, shrugging my shoulder. 

“Connected,” Keith said, relinking our fingers together. I heard Hunk sigh behind us as he continued to work in calm silence, Pidge scarfing down the remnants of the space cream and Keith playing with Zoey. I could say with assurance that this was one of the greatest moments in my life. My best friends had accepted the fact that Keith and I were together. Keith actually really cared for me and we were safe. If we could ignore the intergalactic war, absence of our real family and the occasional parental kidnapping, everything would be great. “That reminds me.”

“What?”

“Didn’t Malone say that we have chips that would explode if we left Bellterr?” Keith whispered, catching the attention of Hunk and I. My eyes widened as I looked to the band on my wrist, my heart rate skyrocketing in 0.2 seconds. Suddenly, Pidge started laughing. “What are you laughing about! That’s not funny!”

“I can’t believe you thought there was a bomb in you!” She cried, tears streaming down her face and fogging up her glasses. 

“How were we **NOT** supposed to believe them, huh? They had us chained and fight in an arena!” I shrieked, shoving the gremlin but Pidge just rolled over and laughed harder. “Hunk!”

“I think she’s laughing because she can’t believe you guys completely forgot about that,” he responded, pouring his dish onto a plate. “I don’t know if you remember that meeting but after the first Galra invasion on the castleship, Pidge added scanners at every entrance. They look for biometrics and if there are foreign objects or matter, they notify her. When you guys came in today, she didn’t get a read. The only message she got was the bands on your wrists.”

“So she’s laughing because she’s an all-knowing evil genius…..classic,” I huffed, jumping from my seat. Keith pouted for a moment but quickly hopped off, carefully balancing a sleeping Sephyr in one arm. 

“Just ignore her,” Keith smiled, shifting the Sephyr comfortably into his shoulder. “Maybe we should find a room and put her in it.” 

“She can stay in my room, I guess,” I responded, ushering for him to follow me. “It’s pretty big and doesn’t have too much stuff lying around.”

“Where would you sleep then?”

“I’m sure I could find some space in your bed,” I muttered, bumping him with my shoulder. Keith immediately bloomed red and it didn’t help when Pidge started gagging and Hunk choked. I had to be honest, it was pretty embarrassing for me to say but I wouldn’t waver. “I-I mean if you wanted to, like-”

“I-no, it’s totally fine, I do,” he mumbled, shrugging his shoulders and nearly waking Zoey.

“Um, I wonder how long it’s going to take for them to pinpoint where Malone and Ray are.”

“Hopefully soon,” Keith mumbled, glancing over to me. “They deserve to be with their parents.”

“It’s not fair for us to lie to the twins and Zoey either,” I hummed, stuffing my hands into my pockets. “They don’t need us, they need Mal and Ray.”

“And we’ll get them,” he responded, looking down the hall. “ **I promise.** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm going to say this now....the next chapter is NSFW  
> I REPEAT  
> NSFW  
> Now, if you get embarrassed easily by two boys trying to have sex or learning new things you may want to skip.....cause I was embarrassed as shit when I wrote it.   
> I still am embarrassed.....
> 
> Alsoooooo  
> MY BABIES RESOLVED THEIR BFF ISSUES!!!!
> 
>  
> 
> To whoever thought I forgot about the bombs  
> I DID NOT (...totally lying)  
> I HAD A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF JUDGEMENT  
> DONT JUDGE ME  
> I'M WRITING THREE STORIES AT ONE TIME!


	35. Chapter 35: NSFW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW  
> PLEASE DO NOT READ IN FRONT OF THE FAMILY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bolded section is from Lance's POV and the unbolded section is from Keith's POV   
> Please Enjoy!

 

Putting Zoey to bed was probably the hardest mission I had ever been on. 

When she was with us during our small babysitting gig, she simply fell asleep in Lance’s arms. But for some reason, she didn’t want to listen to me. After thirty or forty minutes of tucking her in and retucking her in, she finally fell asleep. As Lance and I tiptoed out of the room, Lance slipped his hand into mine, a soft smile on his face. 

“What?” I asked, tugging him lightly. “Why are you smiling?”

Chuckling, he brought my hand to his lips, placing a kiss onto my finger. “I’m happy.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What’s there supposed to mean?” He responded, swinging our arms. “If I’m happy, I’m happy.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is, why are you so happy?” I said, stopping him in the hall. 

For a second, he just looked at me blankly, carefully inspecting my reactions. “Aren’t you happy?”

Was I happy?

I had been happy before all of this…

Before the War, before the Lions, before the team, before the Garrison, before Dad died.

I had been happy. 

Don’t get me wrong, there were moments when I thought I felt happy being around everyone but I quickly realized that I just felt what others around me did. It had been a long time since I had felt happy for longer than a few seconds. After all that we’d been through and the lives that we’ve lost, it was hard to think positively about everything. Somehow, it was great to think that someone like Lance who seemed so full of energy would be happy just being around me. 

It was unthinkable, honestly. 

I had never experienced anything like the crazy stories he had about his family and how great his life was before he joined the Garrison and I couldn’t believe how great they sounded. Crazy parties, skinned knees, hours playing at the pool. His family had given him years of happiness and great memories. He and Hunk had been friends for a long time and when Pidge joined them, they became a happy little trio that was inseparable. 

Shiro and I had been like family for years but let’s be honest, he was drifting away from me. He had always been a few years older than me and that much more responsible. He had taken charge when I would get into fights and take all the blame on his shoulders but now, he was focused on the future of the Universe. To him, I was just his second in command or someone he could mentor. I really didn’t have a connection with anyone here that I could attach to until Lance and I finally talked.

“Keith,” Lance whispered, reaching a hand to touch my face. “You’re happy right?”

“I guess I am,” I responded, reaching to hold his hand towards my face. 

“It’s either you are or you aren’t, Keith,” he said, shaking his head. “Is it because of what happened before or a-are you not sure because if you aren’t sure then maybe we went into this too fast. I mean, I can be really pushy and I know you don’t like things that were too much trouble and I’m trouble, right? I’ve gotta be annoying to you sometimes-”

For a moment, my world blanked as I watched Lance’s eyes gloss and arms pull away from me. Some internal instinct kicked in far faster than I could have anticipated as I grabbed his arm and shoved him forward. His back smacked the wall hard and the flash of light that burst from his wide eyes only spurred something hot in the bottom of my stomach. As I held his thin fingers in my hands, I watched his face contort in pain for just a moment before he let out a heavy breath. 

“Keith, what are you-”

“Shut up,” I growled, letting his hand go as I reached for his face. Words were hard for me to find when it came to things like emotions. How could I explain to him that I had to be happy? The time I had spent with Lance over the past few months felt like heaven. Yes, there were scary moments and times where he tested my patience but that was Lance. Lance had taken all of the confusion and darkness around me had ran away the moment Lance and I were finally together. There had to be a way that he understood. “I’m happy being with you Lance.”

“You don’t have to explain, you explained before. I’m just a little worried if you feel as happy as I do,” he responded, looking down at his hands. “It’s not fair if only I get to be happy.”

“Obviously I didn’t explain well enough,” I sighed, rubbing my thumb against his cheek. “I want to give you the world, Lance, no, the universe. If you want me to be happy, you have to be happy. That’s all I need.”

Lance’s reaction was quick as he slapped my arms down and pulled my face towards his, carefully pressing his chapped lips against mine. The warm press of his fingers and tight grip on my face made me feel safe in his arms. Kissing Lance was like breathing and as he leaned forward to deepen the kiss, I felt like I was taking a breath for the first time. The slip of his tongue against mine and the slick feel of his lips moving was rhythmic and I was drowning only in him. 

**I wanted to drown in him until there was nothing left.**

Lance was so full of life and everything he touched seemed to bloom with it. His inopportune jokes that made the stress disappear was one of his greatest qualities and the fighting spirit he had was unmatchable. Loyalty to our small Voltron family was absolute in his eyes and even though he acted like the youngest out of all of us, he was definitely the bravest. The tan planes of his skin were like the sand on a remote island and his ridiculously goofy smile were only a few of the things I loved about him. Just feeling his warm body pressed against mine was enough to push every doubt out of the way and spur me on. 

I could do anything as long as Lance was beside me. 

He felt the same way as he pulled from me, slipping his hand back into mine. I couldn’t help but wonder as he tugged me froward, the familiar steps to my room embedded in my memory. The room was practically the same as when I left, floors deserted and walls covered in nothing but plans. My sheets were still rumpled from the mission and my desk was covered in books and papers. I couldn't really pay much attention to that as Lance pressed the code to lock the door.

For a second, I looked at him like he had grown two heads but my mind nearly blanked as he slipped his jacket off and threw it onto my desk. 

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” he hummed, reaching for the hem of his shirt and slipping the garment over his head. “At least, nothing yet.”

What was he talking about?

I couldn’t really focus for a few seconds as I watched his lithe muscles turn and roll underneath tight skin as he stretched, rolling his shoulders. Shaking my head, I stared at his shirt that had found its way onto the ground hoping that would keep my mind off of him undressing. The room wasn’t hot and I couldn’t feel a draft so he had to have something on his mind and I hoped he would tell me before it got uncomfortable for me. I watched him walk towards the cabinets on the side of my bed, carefully pulling the drawers out and searching through them. Honestly, I wanted to stop him from rifling through my stuff but that would have been for nothing since he wouldn’t exactly listen to me either. After two or three cabinets, he huffed, moving to the footlocker. Digging both hands inside, he smiled, raising a bottle above his head in triumph. “Found it!”

“What are you doing with a bottle of space gel?” I mumbled, crossing my arms. 

“Well, when scouring the castle, I noticed a bottle of this stuff in the back of the med area,” he started, spinning the bottle. “It’s supposed to be a little muscle relaxer used for everyday sore muscles but the funny thing is, it doesn’t work on Galra.”

“Where does it say that?” I said, walking over to him. He handed me the bottle and pointed to a small black label that said, ‘Works on most species; is ineffective to Galra.’ “That’s why this never worked!”

“I’m glad you found a bottle and kept it though, I was worried we’d have to use lotion,” he smiled, snatching the bottle from my hand and leaping into the bed. 

“I can’t believe your worried about your ashy elbows right now.”

“One, my elbows aren’t ashy, Red,” he growled, an amusing glint in his eyes. “And two, this isn’t only for me.”

I have to be honest. 

I think Lance is an idiot. 

Today was a hard day with the race, the stress, and who knows what else was on the mind of the former Blue Paladin. But, fortunately for us, this was fairly normal. My shoulders were a little tight but that stupid gel wouldn’t do anything for me. That only left one conclusion. 

“If you wanted a massage, you could have just asked,” I hummed, rubbing my hands together to get them warm. 

“I don’t think we have the same massage in mind,” he chuckled, tossing the bottle to the other side of the bed. Watching Lance lay his body down into my sheets, carefully edging the pillow under his head, I had to smile. Lance quickly dug his face into the pillow and tugged it close to his chest. “Mmm. It smells like you.”

It was my bed, I hoped it smelled like me. 

When was the last time I washed the sheets?

Oh no, did I ever wash the sheets??

“...Keith!”

“What?”

“Are you even paying attention to me?” He groaned, slapping his hand against the sheets. 

“I am, you aren’t doing anything,” I responded, waving my hand. “And you still haven’t told me where you want the massage. I can’t just guess.”

Rolling his eyes, he sat up, clutching the pillow against his naked chest. Scratching behind his ear, he looked up to me. “You, um…..you said my happiness is yours, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And that you want to stay with me, right?”

I nodded, raising an eyebrow out of habit. 

“Then don’t you get the situation?”

The situation…

Looking around the room, I searched for something that could tell me or at least hint to what he was talking about. Knowing Lance it was probably some completely backward and upside down plot that only he could understand. Other than the simple set up of my room, everything was normal. Well, aside from Lance laying half naked on my bed with a pillow in his lap. 

What could he possibly be talking about?

“Maybe…...I’m just not getting it,” I replied, carefully sitting at the space in front of Lance. “Can you explain?”

“Geez you’re making this embarrassing,” he chuckled, the sound a little off. Drawing his knees up to his chest, he leaned back, carefully looking at me. Lowering his face, he muttered something I couldn’t hear. 

“What did you say?”

“I...have….with…” he said again, only bits of it understandable.

“Lance! Mumbling doesn’t help.”

“I want to have sex! Do the deed! Whatever you want to call it!” He shouted, face turning redder than a horrible beach tan. “Geez!”

I couldn’t breath as I looked at him, eyes wide.

My face burned and I immediately understood why he was looking around my room. 

I couldn’t say I hadn’t thought about it….

Just watching Lance’s body curving the corners of the hoverbike made me feel something I hadn’t felt in a while but I only thought it was pride. The narrow lines of his waist turned me on, especially when he walked through the halls dancing to music in his head. But I had never,  **ever** thought about he and I...you know. Maybe it was stress or not enough time to take care of bodily pleasures but the most I could do was jerk off morning wood and will away the occasional boner. Lance had actually thought this through. 

I barely knew the basics from the First Aid class the Garrison made us take and what porn mags that people in my dorms had. All of them had girls completely naked didn’t exactly tell you how to do the deed. I didn’t exactly have time to look up porn either since I was constantly fixing up my hoverbike or studying up on the best techniques for flying. I didn’t even know how girls and guys did it. How was I supposed to know how two guys do it together!

“H-How do….what? How do guys even do that?” I stumbled, covering my face out of view. I couldn’t let him see how embarrassed I was or how stupid I probably looked for not knowing that. “I-Don’t...I don’t know how that’s supposed to go.”

It was silent for a moment and I could only think it was because he was looking at me and laughing but when I lifted my head, I saw that Lance was covering his face too. Slowly pulling his face from my pillow, he glanced at me, quickly looking away. “I kind of know...how to.”

Wait….what?

How could he possibly know how to do this?

I thought I was…..no.

I couldn’t be. 

Lance was someone who could take over a room with a smile and everyone loved him. Even when he flirted with all of those alien girls we’d come into contact with, he was almost ready to score when we’d tug him away. Just the fact that I noticed how attractive he was surely meant that other people did. We were a few years apart and he was goofy enough that it was crazy cute.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he whispered, swallowing.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m easy cause I’m not,” he murmured, carefully searching my face. 

“No! No! You aren’t like that! I never assumed that either! You’re a-a great person and probably the most difficult person I know so there’s no way you’re easy….”

While I stumbled, he sighed, a small smile on his face. 

“You know, I only ever did it once with an upperclassman and the guy lied and said it wasn’t going to hurt but it did because he didn’t really prepare the right way,” he explained, looking everywhere but at me. “I really wish he hadn’t been my first, though.”

“I’m sorry, Lance,” I whispered, reaching out to place a hand on his knee. The Paladin nodded, carefully taking a full breath.“How old were you?”

“Fifteen,” he answered, shrugging his shoulders. “To be fair, I probably shouldn’t have been doing that with someone I just met but it was right before I made the decision to join the Garrison and I was a little scared about leaving. I was so confused about who I was and what I wanted to do. It only made sense to do something I could control at least once.” Chuckling halfheartedly, he smiled. “You know, when I told Elisa what happened, she didn’t say anything, just hugged me and…...I honestly thought she would be disappointed in me but I guess because I was young and stupid she didn’t say anything.”

I’m sure if she had, then Lance would have been broken. 

It must have been horrible not understanding what was going on and having it hurt at the same time. Having sex was supposed to be something both people enjoyed. If he was hurting the entire time, it wasn’t fair. I don’t even know how any of this is supposed to be done but if he wanted me to do...that I’d have to make sure it was better than his first time. 

It  **would** be better than his first time.

“I..um.” For some reason, my throat felt like cotton and my eyes couldn’t focus. As I rested my hand on his lap, I could practically feel his heartbeat. “I don’t know how to say this but I’ve never done any of that before.”

For a second, Lance just stared at me before bursting into laughter. At first, I was offended, until I realized that he was laughing out of relief. 

“What’s so funny?”

“I kind of had the idea that you were the bad boy loner that chatted up innocent girls at the Garrison and took them back to your shack in the desert,” he smirked, reaching out for my hand. “There were rumors that you were sleeping with a ton of girls and getting Shiro to help pass simulations.”

“I’d never-”

“I know that now,” he said, grinning. “And I guess that’s why I like you so much.” Shaking his head, he stood, tugging my hand along with him. “But to be honest, I don’t want to talk about the past anymore.” Dragging a hand through his fringe, he grumbled, “I wouldn’t want to rush into this since it’ll be our first time and you’ve never done it.”

I only nodded as he reached for the collar of my shirt. Like touching lava, he jumped back, hands covering his eyes. “Damn it! You’ve never done it before! That means I’ll be your first time. What if I’m bad? What if I ruin your first experience! That would be horrible!”

“I doubt you’ll be bad,” I smiled, pulling his head to mine.

“You don’t know that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I chuckled, leaning forward to place a peck on his lips. “How about we both agree that no matter what, we both say it was good since we did it together?”

“This isn’t a joke, Keith,” he urged, but I wrapped my hand around his shoulder, carefully massaging deep into the muscle. “Mmh…”

“Then how about we play a game,” I grinned, getting a smaller smile from his face. 

“What game did you have in mind?” He mused, carefully rolling his shoulder under my palm.

“Whoever makes the other feel...the best, get’s to tell the other what to do for an entire day.”

Lance searched my face for a few seconds before a big smile grew on his lips. “You’re on.”

  
  


Cheeks red from exasperation and teeth clenched tight enough to hurt, I had found myself on the losing side of a game I should have never started. Thin fingers had wiggled their way into the hem of my pants, carefully sliding the garments past my hips. Before I could even respond, those same teasing fingers with manicured edges raked against the sensitive planes of my thighs, carefully pinching at the inner muscle. His hands were the least of my problem as the slick muscle of my partners mouth lapped up the side of my neck, carefully nipping at the flesh. 

“Mmh, Lance,” I moaned, wholly embarrassed by the way my voice sounded but feeling too good to complain. The room filled with heat as Lance traced playful circles around my abdomen and glanced up at me under dark lashes. Suddenly, his legs intertwined with mine as he slowly slide down far enough for his lips to meet the hairs at the base of my stomach. Just his heated breath against my skin was enough to make my toes curl and I could hardly keep still. Looking up to me with dark orbs of blue, the Paladin carefully licked his lips and smile, a pride filled look in his eyes.

“Did I win yet?” He hummed, mouth inches away from my waistband. 

“N-Never,” I bit through clenched teeth.

“Fine,” he grumbled, teasing down the underwear as slowly as he could. I hissed the moment my dick sprung out, red and leaking in a way that I hadn’t seen in a long time. There wasn’t a moment to feel ashamed as thin, tanned fingers wrapped softly around the base, immediately sending a shockwave up my spine. Pre-cum trickled down the reddened muscle pooling over those thin fingers and beading white over his wrist. The chuckle that left Lance’s throat was sinful and deep, carefully calculated as he took another hand to grasp atop his own. An inhuman groan jumped from my throat but I ignored it as Lance tightened his grip and tugged in a slow and sensual rhythm, turning my vision to black. 

“a-AH!”

“Dios….” Lance whispered, head tilted to the side. “Y-You’re a little bigger than the first guy.” Another tug and an experimental breath just added fuel to the fire as Lance looked up to me with red cheeks. “I don’t know if I can fit all of you.”

“La-AH-nce, stop-stop teasing,” I moaned, reaching to pull his hands from me but Lance refused, sliding his fingers to underside of my member.  My heart was racing as he gently scraped his nail against the tip, carefully stroking up the sides as he did so. I couldn’t breath at the feel of his hands working their magic, taunting and teasing me like Lance always had. But I could feel the tight build up in my hips and feel the suffocating tension deep inside of my body ready to burst. “Lance, I-I’m gonna! I’m gonna-”

Immediately the warmth of his hands disappeared from my body forcing me to open my eyes as cool chills ran up my spine and sweat slid down my brow. When my eyes met Lance’s, I only saw amusement. “What’s wrong, Keith?”

“You stopped,” I muttered, looking to Lance with frustration. My body was covered in a thin layer of perspiration and I could see the tent standing in Lance’s pants. For a second, I thought he had grown tired of helping me but the second Lance’s bare leg brushed against mine, I found the heat in his eyes burn brighter. 

This was another challenge.

This was Lance seeking some way to urge me on and get me to make the next move. I would gladly devour him if I knew how to take the first step or at least what he wanted me to do. It was so impossibly confusing and yet there was a voice in the back of my head that seemed perfectly capable of helping me. It wanted me to strip him bare and accost his lips until they were swollen. It wanted to see every plane of his skin in every shade of light and find spots he had never shown anyone else.

I wanted Lance to be mine in every shape and form.

“Keith,” Lance whispered, hand pushing back damp fringe. “It’s okay.”

Our eyes meeting was like a key fitting into the perfect doorknob, carefully opening up a world we had created ourselves. If Lance was telling me that it was okay, was he letting me into his world or were we creating our own?

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” he smiled, reaching his arms out. “Come on, Samurai. Show me what makes you the leader.”

  
  
  


**His hands were everywhere.**

**Around my waist, on my chest, on my stomach, on my….oh!**

**Nibbled lips moved against mine like the pull and tug of waves, a pink muscle tugging me closer into its sweet depths. Carefully, I arched my spine into the mass pressed against my body and felt the thin layer of sweat from his chest mingle with mine. The sinful concoxion of our sweat stinging the air and bodies pressed against each other was like a drug. Tentative fingertips slid past thick skin and lithe muscle carefully chiseled from hours of body training to the coarse webbing of dark, coiled hair just above a red waistband. A startled breath scared me for a moment but the unease quickly disappeared as Keith’s mouth was pulsating against mine again.**

**Everything was so warm.**

**The feel of his chest against mine, the thick air around us, and even the sheets against my back made me feel like I was on fire.**

**Keith had become bold in his movements now, like he was spurred on by something primal and sure. The way his instincts worked in battle seemed to be triggered here as his body moved with fluidity only found in his training. The hands that wielded a dagger were quickly exposing me to the warm air as my heart raced under his grip. Dark eyes that tracked the stars and flew ships through impossibly small spaces were following every inhale and shudder that wracked my body, carefully calculating the former Red Paladin’s next move. With only two thin layers of space cotton between us both being completely exposed, I found Keith’s face just centimeters away from mine. His breathing had become so heavy that it was affecting my own and I couldn’t even think of what to say as he pressed his nose lightly against mine.**

**“...Lance,” he moaned, the grumble in chest echoing through mine. “What do you want me to do next?”**

**Next?**

**What could I ask him to do next?**

**My mind couldn’t stop thinking of the intense pain I felt after the first time I tried having sex with a guy and I hated more than anything that that was my first experience but I remembered everything. His vodka tinged breath beating against my face and singing the inside of my nostrils. The taste of a sweet margarita quickly becoming sour as my throat clenched and strained. When I came back home, I felt odd and broken but somehow asked myself what had gone wrong. Now I remembered that we both had to go slow or one of us would be in pain. I remembered that if I didn’t prepare myself the right way that I would bleed and tear. I remembered that both of us should feel good and that it should be magical but I was so scared.**

**What if it happened again?**

**I could feel Keith’s eyes surveying me, wondering what I was thinking but I couldn’t explain myself. There was cotton in my throat and weights on my chest and memories were starting to flow again-**

**“Lance!” Keith shouted, causing me to jump. He was looking at me, licking his lips and holding me close to him. “We can stop if you want. It’s okay, it’s okay.”**

**No, it wasn’t okay.**

**I wanted him close to me and I wanted to be this close to him.**

**I wanted this moment to be just as beautiful as he was and I wouldn’t let some lowlife senior that practically broke me hold this future against me.**

**This was Keith and I’s moment.**

**This was everything I wanted. We wanted.**

**This was our new future!**

**“No. No!” I grumbled, reaching for the bottle of muscle relaxer next to me. “Grab that pillow.”**

**For once, he listened without hesitation, grabbing a pillow that had toppled onto the floor. I lifted my hips as he slid the article under my waist, watching with mild intrigue as I began to slide my boxers past the dips in my waist to my ankles. The tightness in my stomach eased slightly as my dick stood nearly erect, partially lubricated by the amount of cum leaking from the tip. I knew it wasn’t safe to put the muscle relaxer there so I would have to do with what I had. Easing my hand over the tip, I shuddered at the feel of warmth against my skin. It had been a few days since the last time I had touched myself and it was hard to control the moans which only made this even more embarrassing. It was even more difficult to control the sounds pouring out of my mouth as Keith sat there, eyes trained on the movement of my hands.**

**“...ah...aH! Keith,” I moaned, tears rolling down the corner of my eyes. Swallowing, I let my hand slide lower to the pearl shaped sacks at the base, carefully running a nail over the wrinkled skin. “Ke-EY! Uh!”**

**“Lance,” he muttered, the sound of his voice nearly inhuman. As he stared, his hands moved to lay on my thighs, carefully kneading the muscle in slow, rocking movements. “Keep going, Sharpshooter. You’re doing such a good job.”**

**His words hit a nerve that sent shocks through my spine that I could never describe. As his fingers kneaded higher up my thigh, I nearly came just at the sensation but I somehow found a way to reel back. Him spurring me on was the greatest sound and as his raspy voice whispered low, I tightened my grip almost to a painful measure. “Come on, Lover Boy. I know you want this.”**

**My vision was so blurry but I could see his other hand working carefully on his thick member, fingers tugging skyward. Just like me, Keith was in our moment, feeling the pleasure he could only get with me but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough for both of us.**

**“T-The relax-ah, Keith!” I huffed, pointing to the bottle. Keith immediately understood, uncapping the bottle and pouring nearly a third of the bottle into his hand. “I have to...I have to loosen it.”**

**“The bottle?” He asked, looking at the cap.**

**“No, Red,” I chuckled, sliding my hips back to a more comfortable position. “I have to loos-ah. I have to loosen myself up.”**

**For a moment, he just stared at the clear liquid carefully pooled in his palm but as he looked to my waist, a bright red brush climbed up his chest to his neck and cheeks. “H-How am I supposed to fit in such a-a small…..Lance I could hurt you!”**

**“That’s why I have to prepare, buddy,” I smiled, releasing myself to place my hand in his. Coating my fingers, I let them warm, making sure each finger was starting to tingle and heat up. “Don’t worry, Keith, you’ll fit.”**

**Just as I slid my hand past the base of my thigh, I was flipped onto my stomach, my ass bare and facing the sky. “Keith! What are you doing?”**

**Almost immediately, I felt the warm liquid sliding against the smooth skin of my butt. Tentative fingers massaged just at the base and I couldn’t help but shudder at the feel of his fingers so close to where I wanted them to be. There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation as he slipped the tip of a finger past the tight muscle, carefully pushing and tugging forward. “Ah! Keith!”**

**“You’re kind of…...loose,” he mused, pushing his finger further in. An itch formed just a few inches deeper, just out of his reach. “I wonder if I can go a little further.”**

**“P-Please,” I moaned, nails tearing into the pillow. “Uh! Deeper, please!”**

**“Oh, look who finally has some manners,” he chuckled, pushing his fingers past his knuckle. Shivers rolled up my spine like a flame flicking in the wind and Keith’s heavy breathing was wafting against my spine in a way that made me push back against him. “This Lance doesn’t talk a lot, only moans. You usually don’t shut up.”**

**“Keith,” I breathed, looking over my shoulder. “Please….stop teasing.” The deep chuckle that reverberated around me was enough to make my dick twitch as the tip of Keith’s forefinger slipped next to his middle. Temptation took over in me, carefully lulling my hips forward and rutting against the sheets under my waist. Keith knew immediately what I was doing and pushed his fingers deeper, nearly turning my vision white. “Ke-AH!”**

**“I love the way you say my name,” he whispered, curling his fingers up deep inside me. I couldn’t stop chanting it as he leaned forward, the weight of his thighs pressed against the inner flesh of mine and his fingers slowly pumping inside me almost too much to handle. “You should say it more often and a little louder.”**

**“N-No,” I mumbled, the sound muffled by the pillow. I could feel the tip of Keith’s dick scraping against my left thigh and I was practically begging for him to enter me. “I-I can’t wait anymore! Keith! Aye! Please, please, please. Dios!”**

**“.....Are you sure?” He muttered, carefully pulling his slick fingers from inside me. I wasn’t going to let him do that as I grabbed his wrist and arched back.**

**“Yes,” I groaned, slowly slipping his fingers out. Flipping onto my back, I finally faced him head on. His fringe had fallen perfectly over his dark eyes and his beautifully pale skin was red as he watched me. Keith’s hands trailed up the base of my thigh, hitching my knees to my chest and nearly knocking the wind out of me. I couldn’t help but smile with pride at the size and shape of him, the heavy curve and thickness of him more appetizing than I could ever dream. For a half human, half alien hybrid, Keith’s body was surprisingly beautiful and oddly perfect for someone like me. Keith must have noticed the grin as he leaned forward to place a chaste kiss against my lips. “Now come on, Red.”**

**Thankfully, Keith had a better mind than me as he reached for the pocket of his pants to pull out a foiled square. For a second, I was shocked and then I remembered that I was blessed with good friends. “Remind me to thank Hunk later,” Keith muttered, ripping the small packet open and rolling the condom over himself. Aligning himself with my waist, he looked at me one last time, eyes searching mine carefully. With a final nod, I took a deep breath and clenched my fists against my side, hands trembling and eyes trained on Keith’s face.**

**Immediately, there was…...pressure.**

**Just a little bit more at first as Keith’s hips buckled forward but the moment he reigned himself in, he looked to me, his brow sweaty and his palms wet. He watched me intuitively and waited for me to take another breath before pushing forward, a little more pressure pushing against my spine.**

**Another breath, a little more pressure and then blinding sparks.**

**“AH!”**

**“Are you okay!” He immediately asked, eyes bulging as he looked down to me. “I’m not hurting you, right?”**

**“No,” I chuckled, trying to slow the shivering. “Y-You actually hit a-hit a spot.”**

**“Here?” He asked, experimenting with another push. When I had proven his point with another moan, he smiled, pushing deeper with control that could only rival a Buddha. As my mewls grew louder, Keith continued to push until he was nearly to the hilt, hands tugging me as close as he could. I couldn’t find a way to cover my embarrassment as Keith smiled down to me. “Do you feel good?”**

**I could only manage a huff as I tried to control my breathing.**

**I hadn’t realized how thick he was or how full I would feel.**

**This felt nothing like what I had experienced my first time and I was so happy that it felt so different.**

**It was amazing to finally be connected to him. I knew it was cliche and stupidly immature to think that sex would bring us closer but this was what I needed. I needed a little reassurance from him that he actually wanted me. His body wouldn’t hide his feelings no matter how hard he tried. The shutter of his hips, the ache of his body pressing against mine and the smell of our sweat mingling at our joined bodies were just a fraction of the physical emotions I felt for Keith. Now I knew that he felt the same for me, not just in his words but in his everything.**

**“Lance,” he whispered, looking down at me. “I don’t know if I can last any longer.”**

**“I-It’s okay, I think I’m-I’m okay to go,” I responded, reaching up to place my hands comfortably on his shoulders. Readjusting his hands on each side of my head, he leaned forward and kissed me, slow and sweet. Pulling out almost completely, he thrust in slow, eyes trained on my face. Arousal burned deep as he filled me slow, each thrust getting harder and harder before moving faster. The wet slap of his hips beating the base of my ass was rhythmic and erotic, each thrust deeper than the last. Soon, the bed was shaking with the force of Keith plowing forward, his dick piercing me in places I never knew were possible to reach. In seconds, he had me screaming out his name like a scratched record, nails digging into the muscled shoulders of my lover. “Keith, yes! Yes-ah!”**

**The muscle relaxer had ran its course as heat bloomed around the entrance and started to warm me in the most beautiful way. I felt like I was on a cloud and higher than I had ever been. There was nothing to compare to the feeling of pure oneness that I was feeling now. No battle against the Galra or intensely impossible shot could give me the euphoria I felt as Keith pounded further, his heavy breathing proving his efforts and the satisfying burn of his body rubbing against mine were surreal. Somehow, I was able to match his rhythm, carefully rutting up against him to reach a deeper more primal spot that would send both of us into oblivion. Keith felt the same as he slowed his pace and focused forward, hips rolling up and hand reaching down to wrap over me. “Keith! What are-UH!”**

**“Come on, Blue, come for me,” he growled, pumping me faster and faster. “Come for me, Lance.” I was practically yelling at the sound of his voice, my heels pressing against the base of his spine to pull him deeper and closer.  “Lance!” Keith was just as close as I was as he started to pant and lose his breath. All of our efforts continued to build and build like the climb of a rocket shooting far into space.**

**“Keith! Keith!” I hissed, digging my nails into his shoulder as spurts of white cum splattered Keith’s stomach and dripped down onto my chest like sticky rain. Moments later, I felt Keith cum inside of me, the condom safely capturing everything. Sweat was slipping past his shoulders and landing on me as he relaxed, ultimately pulling out of me. Rolling to the right, he dropped his body against the cooler sheets, carefully slipping the full condom off and tying it. With a tired flick of his wrist, he threw it in the trash, arm falling to his side. My eyes were nearly closed from exhaustion as I turned to Keith, grabbing a pillow and wiping his stomach and mine. Once the minimal cleaning was done, I felt like I deserved a good cuddle. “I hope you aren’t one of those guys who hates to cuddle after sex.”**

**“There are people like that?” He whispered, his voice raw as he looked to me. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at him as the red on his cheeks started to dissipate and his fingers moved to push his fringe back. Without another word, he reached towards me, carefully tugging me close to his body.**

**“Aww, you do like me,” I smiled, weakly. Tucking my head into his shoulder, I threw my leg over his, ignoring the growing ache in my spine and thin layer of sweat slicking my thigh.**

**“We just had sex and you still doubted if I actually liked you,” he started, shaking his head. “Typical.”**

**“That was anything but typical, Keith,” I grinned, laying my hand on his stomach. Yawning, I cleared my throat, carefully drawing circles into Keith’s collarbone. He didn’t seem to mind as he pulled me closer to him, running a finger through the damp curls at my nape. “Hey, Keith?”**

**“Yeah.”**

**“I love you,” I whispered, eyes slowly closing. Just a second after my eyes closed, I heard the most important words I would probably ever hear in my life.**

**“I love you too, Lance.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO FREAKIN SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG BUT I WANTED THIS TO BE PERFECT!  
> It took a lot of editing and a lil bit of the imagination but I GOT IT!
> 
> The story about Lance's first time is actually something a friend of mine experienced. Now I didn't put it to make a rape plot or hurt anyone's feelings, I put it there for awareness.   
> The awareness I am trying to teach is preparedness.  
> IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD SEX BEFORE or NEVER FELT PLEASURE DURING SEX YOU HAVE NOT PREPARED PROPERLY  
> Women: Always pee after having sex, whether it's with a man, women, trans, toy or other. This saves you from disease and helps you function properly. If you haven't orgasmed, you may need to do so in order to release the productive cleansers in your vagina.  
> Men: Always wear a condom unless your planning on making a baby. I don't care how long you've dated, are married or how good it feels. Condoms help prevent diseases, babies, and the spread of yeast infections. This applies to your partner being man, women, trans or toy. Properly clean after.
> 
>  
> 
> Now that the health lesson is over......WHAT THE FUCK WITH SEASON 6!  
> If you haven't seen Season 6 ignore my rant.  
> HOLY FUCK BALLS BRO  
> LIKE THAT WAS SOME INTENSE SHIT  
> SHIRO WAS ACTUALLY DEAD, PAPA KEITH IS DEAD, KROLIA DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING KNOW HE'S DEAD! LOTOR AND ALLURA WERE READY TO FUCK BUT THEN WE FIND OUT HE KILLED SHITLOADS OF ALTEANS WHICH btw WAS KINDA TAKEN OUT OF PROPORTION. I mean, somebody has to be the bad person. Somebody had to do the research. I'm sure it could have been done more humanely but during that time Lotor thought that the greatest Alchemist, ie. Alfor was dead and his knowledge dead with him. He kinda had to use Galra techniques to find out about his culture. AND THEN LOREAL BOY GETS STUCK IN QUINTESSENCE HELL! AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON YEAR OLDER KEITH. HE AND LANCE ARE THE SAME SIZE NOW, MAYBE EVEN BIGGER! NOW THEY'RE HEADING BACK TO EARTH! WHAT ABOUT THE GALRA! WHO's GONNA TELL THEM THAT LOTOR IS DEAD! WHAT ABOUT SENDAK AND HAGGAR and THE LOTOR TROUPE! FUUUUUCKKKKKKKKK  
> AND WHOEVER SAID KLANCE IS DEAD MUST NOT HAVE HEARD THE INTERVIEWS BC LAUREN MONTGOMERY SAID THAT ALLURA DOESNT HAVE A ROMANCE ARC. LIKE SHE GETS HER HEART BROKEN BUT HAS TO BE A KICK ASS PRINCESS FOR THE UNIVERSE. IT IS CONFIRMED THAT KEITH AND LANCE WOULD HJAVE ONE! ROMEL BETTER NOT FUCKING TRY TO GET THE HYBRID D FROM KEITH OOR I MAY CATCH A FIT. ALSO MAMA KROLIA BETTER LOVE LANCE TOO CAUSE I WANT A FAMILY REUNION BTW LANCE'S FAMILY AND KROLIA TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE BIG HAPPY KLANCE FAMILY
> 
>  
> 
> I'm done now....thank you for coming to my TEDTalk


	36. Chapter 36: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FLOOF

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ENJOY MY LOVELIES

It was hard not to fall back asleep when the warm press of someone’s head laid against your chest but the nagging ache in my hips and the growl of my stomach coaxed me awake. Lance’s cool breath raised the hairs on my stomach as I blinked down to his sleeping form. His brown hair was tusselled in every place and drool leaked out of the corner of his swollen lips but he still somehow had a glow brighter than I had ever seen. Neither one of us had tried to put clothes on before passing out and judging by the amount of covers on us, Lance had gotten up at some point. His hands had found their way under me as he snuggled deeper into my chest, carefully nudging his chin into it’s space. I accidentally chuckled at the tiny snore that escaped, unfortunately,waking up sleeping beauty.

“Mhhn,” he moaned, legs stretching and tangling with mine. Wincing, he ran a hand through his hair and lifted himself up to his elbows, hands placed onto my stomach. Blinking, he stared at me  before a big smile grew on his lips. “G’morning.”

“I’m not even sure if it’s morning,” I smiled, reaching a hand up to his cheek. “But, yeah, it’s good.”

“Good,” he echoed, pulling up to a sitting position. Difficult as it was to ignore, I watched the Paladin emerge from the sheets, calmly covering himself with a pillow. “So…...does that mean I won?”

“Won?”

“The bet,” he responded, a slick smile on his face. I couldn’t stop myself from grinning back as I remembered some moments from the past few hours. Covering my mouth in embarrassment, I shook my head. “No? How not!”

“Because in the end, you were calling out my name a little too loud for me to be the only one feeling it,” I laughed, earning a kick in the side. Huffing, he crossed his legs and leaned into the pillow in his lap. 

“That’s not funny,” he groaned, a beautiful blush rising up his stomach and onto his neck. I couldn’t help but tug him back into my chest and kiss his cheek as he finally started to chuckle. 

For a moment, everything felt….peaceful.

I had never experienced something like this.

The feeling of comfort that I felt by being in Lance’s arms felt almost as familiar as the day I was born. As I laid there holding onto him, I felt like years had been added to me. Sure, I wasn’t that old but the life I had been living wasn’t like everyone elses. Normal people were able to ride around in cars to fast food restaurants or have parties with their friends but I never got that. All I had was Shiro. When the rest of the gang showed up, I was finally able to get a little relief.  All I cared about now was Lance laying here next to me and the fact that he and I loved each other. 

I hadn’t forgotten how soft his voice had been when he told me loved me and I wasn’t lying when I told him I loved him back. From the tips of his perfectly manicured fingers to the lean muscles of his legs and the sharp upturn of his lips, I loved every part. Even if he had horrible jokes to tell and probably cried a little more than I could handle, I loved him. 

I hadn’t loved someone in a long time. 

I loved Shiro but that was my brother, it was different. 

This love was empowering and building like nothing I had ever felt before and I wanted it to continue growing into something even more powerful.

“Keith,” Lance whispered, running his hand up my chest.

“Hm?”

“I’m hungry,” he replied, rubbing his stomach and moving to stand. Stretching with his arms up high, he smiled back to me, eyes filled with joy. “Are you gonna stay in bed naked all day or are you going to come with me to get some food?”

“Ngh,” I groaned, stretching my legs out as I forced my aching body to move. Who knew sex was such a workout? Even though I was exhausted, I was somehow filled with energy. Maybe this was going to be my new cardio workout instead of running the track fifteen times. That was a suggestion I would have to give Lance later, though.“What do you want to eat?”

“Honestly, you, but I’m sure if we stay cooped up in here any longer, people will suspect we started fighting and killed each other,” he joked, slipping on his boxers and pants. My eyes wandered to the muscles in his thighs and arms that were long enough to touch the skies. Small bruises were on his hips, just above the curve of his ass and I couldn’t stop myself from licking my lips as I was reminded of last night. I still couldn’t believe that he and I had done something like that together. The sound of his whines causing the heavy air to fill with heat was still a strong memory. The sting of his nails carving unforgettable lines up my back and my own hands peeling at the layers of Lance’s body were irresistible. Somehow, the guy that flirted like no other mewled like he was in heat when he was close. I wanted to keep him there but he clenched so tight- “What?”

“Huh?”

“You were staring at me like you wanted to take a bite,” he chuckled, hand pressed against his mouth. “Was I just that hot that you couldn’t take your eyes off of me?”

“No, just that ugly that I couldn’t look away,” I joked, reaching for a pair of underwear and pants in a nearby drawer. Slipping them on, I smirked. “I was petrified in disgust.”

“Shut up,” he grumbled, shoving me back onto the bed. Threading a finger through the loops in my pants, he tugged, exposing the black band of my boxers. Moving onto his side, he turned me towards him, carefully teasing his thumb into the space between the band and my hips. “Do you really think I’m ugly?”

“Stupid? Yeah. Overconfident? Definitely, and a ridiculously horrible pilot, I mean-”

“Okay, wise guy, I get it,” he grunted, moving his hands from my hips but I grabbed his hands before they were too far out of reach. Placing them on the side of my face, I sighed, the warm touch of his palm comforting. He instinctively threaded his fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck, his nails scratching against my scalp. “No, I don’t think I could have sex with someone that I didn’t find attractive.”

“It could have been pity sex,” he muttered, his lower lip pouting out as he rubbed the pad of his thumb against my eyebrow. 

“My first time?”

He didn’t comment to that as he leaned forward and planted a kiss on my nose. Lifting himself up, he stretched, limbs popping every bit. Tugging his jacket off of the chest, he turned to me with a hand on his hip. “Aren’t you coming?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, buttoning my pants and snatching my shirt off of the ground. Slipping the shirt over my head, I reached for my blade and gloves, mostly out of habit then comfort. 

“I’m kind of disappointed that you didn’t wear your gloves while we did it,” Lance hummed, arms crossed behind his neck. 

“Perv.”

“How is it perverted if I find my boyfriend wearing gloves sexy?” He chuckled, placing a hand into mine. Running his fingers through the holes, he traced over the veins of my hands, slowly mapping them out. Slipping a finger through the top, he smiled. “It’s even sexier when you can feel a few calluses on your knuckles.”

“Shouldn’t that turn you off, Mr. Daily Moisturizer?”

“It’s the opposite when you think about our jobs,” he explained, moving his hands to my arms and over my shoulder. Draping his arms over me, he pressed his forehead against mine, the few inches of height difference causing it to be a little awkward. “I know your knuckles are bruised because you’ve been saving the Universe. Millions of people from Trillions of worlds have been saved by your hands.”

“You do the same thing, Lance.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he muttered, moving away from me. Crossing his arms over his chest, he smiled, the gesture a little weaker than I hoped for. “But that’s the least of our worries. We need to eat something and find the others so we can find a way to save Mal and Ray.”

Nodding, I slipped my hand into his before placing my hand onto the palm scanner. I knew I should have found a way to talk about Lance’s insecurities but that would have to wait. Malone and Ray were in danger and if we didn’t find them soon, we may never see them again. 

Lance and I had an eternity ahead of us together.

There was nothing to worry about.

  
  


“Finally, you decided to leave the cave!” Hunk shouted, narrowly piercing everyone’s ears with how loud it was. Lance tried covering one ear as best as he could but with my hand in his other, he couldn’t cover both. 

“Yeah, what are you going to do if we all had to starve while we waited on you?” Pidge grumbled, looking up from her tablet. Looking down to our joined hands, she raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you guys want to be holding hands right now? Shiro and Allura are only a few ticks away, Coran about twenty doboshes.”

“We’ll be fine,” Lance answered, squeezing my hand for a moment. “They have to accept us.”

“You guys are being so negative,” Hunk responded, placing a steaming pot onto the table and slipping his printed oven mitts off. Slinking his apron over his head, he cleared his throat. “I doubt Shiro is against it and Allura’s a Princess whose seen things like this all over the Galaxy.”

“That’s true but that doesn’t change the fact that it could cause friction between us as Voltron,” Pidge said, placing her tablet onto the table. “I know it doesn’t mean much but Hunk and I support you.”

“Thanks,” I responded, grinning towards the pair. Lance really had good friends, especially since they were so understanding. Lance took this opportunity to tug me over to our usual seats that were, unfortunately, directly in view of the door. Just as Hunk placed our plates in front of us and Lance placed our joined hands onto his lap, the doors slid open welcoming Princess Allura and Shiro. 

Allura and Shiro’s conversation seemed pretty important as they spoke back and forth but once they caught the scent of dinner, they looked towards the table. Allura immediately slid into her seat but Shiro remained standing, eyes on me. Everyone noticed as Hunk stopped passing out food, Pidge sunk into her chair and Allura looked up at Shiro.

“Shiro, what’s wrong?” Allura asked, cautiously placing her hand on his forearm. Following his gaze, she met mine, eyes widening at the sight of my hands in Lance’s. I could feel Shiro watching me as I looked down to the table. Lance had gone rigid next to me and I could feel his anxiety with how tightly he was holding onto my hand. When I looked up, I could only find a blank stare that spoke volumes. 

He was still disappointed. 

“Lance. Keith. What’s going on?” Allura asked, breaking my eyes from Shiro. Neither one of us spoke as we looked to each other, Lance’s eyes narrowing. Hunk was, surprisingly, the first to speak.

“Well, it’s dinner,” Hunk smiled, plating another dish for Allura and Shiro. Sliding a bright purple sauce over each plate, he placed them in front of the duo before plating two more for Lance and I. Allura didn’t take the bait, though, her eyes following our movements. 

“Thanks, buddy, but I think she’s talking about us,” Lance smirked, lifting our joined hands onto the table. Readjusting our fingers, he placed his other hand over mine. “I don’t quite understand your question, Princess.”

“Am I being confusing?” She mocked, slamming her hands onto the table. “You know that this is wrong!”

“Nothing is wrong with us,” he snapped back, standing. I stood with him as he stared the Princess down, a look on his face that I hadn’t seen before. He wasn’t one to get angry at Allura and Allura seemed just as shocked as I was. Pidge also stood with us, though she didn’t look as upset as Lance did. Allura scanned the group surrounding the table with intellectual interest. 

“All of you understand that relationships such as these could tear Voltron apart,” she explained, slowly moving to her feet. “They are forbidden for a reason. These laws were around from the time my Father created the Lions-”

“That was tens of thousands of years ago, Allura,” Pidge interrupted. “I don’t mean to burst your bubble but times change. You can’t expect them to just give up on one another.”

“It’s quite easy to get over fickle feelings like this,” she replied, carefully watching us. She didn’t look mad or upset, at the very least she looked kind of…..understanding. “I would never be against this had it not been for rules that govern the Coalition. They were set for a reason. To keep the Universe safe.”

Hunk cleared his throat as he stuffed his hand into his pockets. “Nothing would really change between them, I mean, they already fought before.”

“Yeah, and the worst that could happen now is they don’t make out in front of us,” Pidge joked, trying to lighten the mood but Allura still looked firm on her decision. 

Then, she looked to us. 

“How are you not sure this was just something that came about from being lost together on a warring planet?” She asked, looking at the both of us. “I can’t condone a relationship that I can’t believe in and, unfortunately for you, I don’t believe you both like each other enough to actually be in a relationship.”

This was when Lance, Hunk and Pidge couldn’t seem to answer for me. Lance was a bit frozen as he looked at the table, a little embarrassed to answer. Pidge sat back in her chair as Hunk finally took a seat. That left me to answer her question. “Look, Princess Allura, I….I know how important the Lions are and and how important we are to the Universe but I-I can’t live without Lance.”

** My heart hurt just thinking about life without Lance.  **

I couldn’t wake up in the morning without him laying next to me or spend a moment without seeing him smile. It felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest as I thought about losing the feel of Lance’s hand in mine. Being with Lance was unlike anything else and I wanted him to feel the same way. 

“I love him,” I finished, a smile growing on the edges of my lips. Turning to Lance, I saw the same smile on his face. “It has nothing to do with us being on this planet or pressure. It had everything to do with us…..We’ve liked each other for a while but didn’t exactly know how to really say it.”

“You both were saying it pretty well with the constant fighting, pulling pranks and practically staring at each other all the time but who noticed?” Pidge grumbled, glaring at both of us. Hunk laughed at her as he wrapped his large arms around Lance and I. 

“Aren’t they cute! Even Lance is blushing more than normal,” Hunk smiled. I couldn’t look away from Lance as the beautiful red blush burned up his face. Somehow, I wanted to get closer and ended up actually kissing him on his cheek. “OH!”

“Keep it PG guys!” Pidge joked, punching Lance in the stomach. The former Blue Paladin doubled over at the gremlin’s strength and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at him. Suddenly, the doors slid open revealing Coran covered in a blue oil paired with bright red goggles strapped to the top of his head. 

“What in the quiznaking credvil is going on in here?” Coran asked, fingers twiddling with his beard. “You all seem to be having fun without your resident Gorgeous Man.”

“Lance and Keith are getting married!” Pidge shouted, causing Lance and I to jump onto her. As she squealed and squirmed beneath us, Hunk explained the details with a curious Allura by his side.

“Wonderful!” He smiled, clapping his hands together as he walked over. “Altean weddings were beautiful! A lot of nunvil pouring out of white fountains, garglian pancer flowers flowing everywhere and the couple would always run through a river of porsekian blood.”

“What!” Hunk gasped, staring at Coran but Allura ignored him as she explained.

“They aren’t getting married just yet.” Placing a hand on her trusty handlers shoulders, she smiled, “But they have convinced me that they both like each other very much.”

“And you approve?” Coran asked, curiosity in his voice. “Very different to your Father, I might add.”

“They’ve earned this,” she hummed, walking over to help Lance and I to a stand. “Though I do agree with your relationship, it is ultimately up to Shiro too. He is an important part of Voltron.” Turning she looked for Shiro but the former Black Paladin had disappeared, his food untouched. Dread weighed down to the pit of my stomach as I looked around the room to find him. 

Lance noticed immediately as he pulled me a little closer, lips close to my ear. “We’ll go see him later. He has to understand.”

“I need him to understand. He’s my only family,” I muttered, flopping down into my seat and picking up my fork. Lance followed behind and the rest of the group sat with us, their idle conversations filling up the empty space in the air. I didn’t really talk much as I thought about the look on Shiro’s face. I had never seen him so disappointed in me and I honestly couldn’t understand why. Shiro wasn’t homophobic and he was usually on my side. There was no reason why he wouldn’t agree to us being together. His approval was important to me too. After all I had been through with my dad, missing mom, the Garrison and so much more, Shiro was there. 

**He had never left me like this before.**

“Don’t worry, Keith,” Lance whispered, nudging me with his elbow. “We’ve been through a lot. Getting a grumbly big brother like Shiro to approve of us is just another day living on Lover Boy Lane.”

“I’m glad you’re so positive,” I hummed, taking my first bite of food. 

“We all have your back, Keith, there’s nothing to worry about,” Allura confirmed, carefully reaching a hand across the table. Lance took it immediately, and grinned as our host of tiny mice scrambled to the table, placing their tiny hands on top. Hunk quickly placed his mitt on top and Coran chuckled as he placed his too. Pidge grumbled at the physical contact but a small smile on her face proved that she was okay with it as she put her hand too, quickly glaring at me to put my hand on too. Smiling, I placed my hand on top as well.

“Are we going to sing like in a stupid Musical or are we going to finish our dinner?” Pidge asked, pulling her hand from the tower as fast as she could. Lance instantly started laughing, bringing everyone else into a laugh as well. Everything was okay for now.

**  
Everything was going to be okay.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hewoooo   
> how was the last chapter!  
> A lot of you guys liked it but no one commented :(  
> Issokay though cause you guys can comment on it later :)
> 
>  
> 
> HOW DID ALL OF YOU SURVIVE SEASON 6  
> ARE YOU ALL JAZZED FOR THE UPCOMING FIRST EPISODE EXPOSED!!!!!


	37. Chapter 37: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CAN I GET A HELL YEAH FOR AUGUST 10TH!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GRAB THOSE TISSUES HOES

As someone whose know Shiro for as long as I have, it was hard not to think that the world was going to fall onto my head as soon as I knocked on his door. I wanted to do this alone so Lance wouldn’t be uncomfortable but he persistently tailed me as I turned down the familiar hallway. Shiro’s room was the last one on an empty hall and leagues away from the rest of us. He decided to take this room because it was the biggest room and, most importantly, he got the privacy he wanted. Taking a few steps towards the door made me more nervous than ever as I placed my hand on the keypad. When the door slid open, I was greeted with a dark room and a single light shining in the corner.

“You think he went to use the bathroom?” Lance whispered, standing just behind me. “Maybe we should come back when he’s in here?” I could see that he was nervous already but I couldn’t resist the chance to mess with him. 

“Why? You scared of the dark, Loverboy,” I joked, turning to look at his face.

“I thrive in the dark, Captain Doofus,” he retorted, shoving past me to press a shaky finger to the light switch. When the lights flickered on, we were happy to see a completely spotless room, something only Shiro could achieve. Everything was according to his standards, right down to the dust bunnies that thrived in the corner of the room. One thing that did seem rather odd was the pile of tablets and papers strewn all over his desk. Walking towards the desktop, I lifted up several of the tablets so they would fit on the desk. Unfortunately, my eyes fell on several of the words on the pages. 

Most of the tablets were on the history of the Lions and a few technical pages that Pidge made for the future of Voltron. Normally, Shiro would be investigating Galra tactics, formations and even weaponry. As a pilot, he was great at seeing the changes in our opponents that we would never notice, but technological specs…..that didn’t seem like something he’d go over. Nearly all of Pidge’s notes were in computer jargon and definitely not something Shiro would be reading for fun. Sure, the guy was a stickler for the rules every once in a while but he wasn’t a bookworm. As I continued to read, I felt the weight of Lance’s sharp chin digging into my shoulder. 

“What’s Shiro doing with Pidge’s old investigative reports?” He asked, reaching over my shoulder to slide the page up. Quickly going over the stats, he frowned. “That’s strange.”

“What is?”

“These statistics are altered,” he murmured, reaching for the tablet. Shaking his head as he went down, he ran a hand through his hair. “These weren’t like this before and that wasn’t there….”

“Are you sure?”

“Definitely,” he replied, pointing to a bar graph. “I was there when Pidge was testing out the level of quintessence that was used to power our Bayards and the link between the Bayards and Lions. She used mine and was pissed that I couldn’t focus so she wrote zero just to spite me.” Ushering to the digit in a blue portion of the bar graph, he frowned. “This says I had forty two percent output.”

“You sure she wasn’t just lying to you?” I asked, looking over the numbers again. “She could have put it in later so she wouldn’t forget.”

“That’s the thing,” Lance said, reaching for another tablet on the table. “She doesn’t forget. Every stat that goes into that little Gremlin’s mind stays there. She’s practically a walking supercomputer. Pidge would have  **never** put the data in after she already knew the outcome.” Picking up another tablet, he pointed to the title. “This is wrong too!”

I peered over the title of the information on the screen and read it. Schematics for Running a Hyperspace Molecular Portal via the Quintessence Field by Hunk Garrett. “I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“Hunk didn’t write this,” Lance explained, swiping the screen. “Coran did. I helped him set it up while Hunk ran a few mini tests on the computer. The engine output nearly singed my eyebrows and I had to do a face cream for a few days with Hunk beside me.”

“So what? It could have been a downloading error or something,” I muttered, taking the tablet from him but the Blue Paladin didn’t budge. I knew the stubborn idiot wouldn’t let this go by, especially if he thought something off was happening. Sighing, I gave in as Lance continued to look over more errors. “Fine. What’s your point?”

“Man, I don’t know,” he huffed, tossing the tab onto the desk. Grabbing another one, he shook his head. “But something’s not right. Downloading errors like that can’t happen unless Pidge’s backup protocols that protect the Castle of Lions is disabled and even then, Pidge would be the first to know.”

“What do you mean?” I wasn’t the most informed person when it came to what the Castle had and whether or not it was working.

Lance paused as he looked down to the desk, eyes narrowing and teeth nibbling on his lower lip. I could see he was struggling to portray what he wanted to say but I wouldn't let him off the hook. Reaching out for his hand, I tugged him forward, forcing him to look at me. 

“Lance?”

“What if Shiro’s the one that disabled Pidge’s protocol,” he blurted, eyes dark. He didn’t look convinced himself and I had to say, the idea was pretty ridiculous. Shiro was the epitome of backup plans, protocol and following the rules. The guy was practically set up with hundreds of different ways to protect us since he thought of us as his family and,you know, the universe was important too. There was no way in hell he’d turn off one of the most important things on this ship that would protect us from most anything. After what happened to us on the Arusian Planet and Lance nearly losing his life, we were extra careful about our floating home.

“There’s no way he’d do that, Lance,” I sighed, shaking my head. Lance didn’t believe me in the least as he shook his head as well.

“No one but Shiro and Pidge know the codes that start and stop the protocol, Keith,” Lance explained, eyes staring holes into my shoulder. Reaching a hand out, he curled a finger around mine before looking into my eyes. “Shiro had to do it.”

“What if Pidge turned it off to update or some stupid prank, huh?” I retorted, releasing Lance’s hand. Lance didn’t seem to like my answer as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Or maybe she opened her mouth and told someone else the protocol?”

“She wouldn’t do that. You know I’m right.”

“And Shiro doesn’t?” I grumbled, glaring at Lance. He was being ridiculously stubborn for no reason. Shiro would  **never** do something that could put us in danger. He had been through enough and he just wanted to end this war so we could go back home. He had a lot he had to take care of once we returned to Earth and I knew he wouldn’t waste anymore time here. Slowing us down would be the opposite of what he wanted. “Shiro is our leader. He’d never put us in danger.”

Lance stood there silently watching as I was red with anger. I couldn’t find it in me to really be mad at him since he was only saying what he thought but…...seriously? How could he think that Shiro would do something like that! Shiro had done enough to prove that he was here for us and here to protect the Universe. With a huff, Lance flopped down onto Shiro’s bed, arms and legs crossed in frustration. 

“Are we…..are we even sure that’s Shiro?”

What?

What type of question was that?

There was no one else in the Universe like Shiro and without a doubt, the guy I saw earlier was Shiro. It was possible that Lance was just confused because he didn’t know if Shiro was one our side but he had to understand that there was was no way the man standing before us earlier wasn’t Shiro. Shiro was always on our side and there to protect us. He hadn’t changed since he saved me from the home and he was by my side the moment I started at the Garrison. How could I ever doubt that Shiro was really Shiro? Lance was asking stupid questions that didn’t even have a bit of truth in them. I was sure if I talked to him that he’d understand where my mind was.

“You’re saying crazy stuff again,” I mumbled, sitting down beside him. 

“I’m not, though,” he responded, looking towards me. “You haven’t noticed?”

“There’s nothing to notice,” I grumbled, clenching my gloved hands in my lap. 

“There’s just something wrong about him, Keith,” Lance continued, lip nearly bleeding between his teeth. “I can’t believe you don’t see it! You’re the closest one to him!”

Shaking my head, I tried to block him out but I couldn’t ignore the look of confusion on Lance’s face. He wouldn’t just be saying whatever he wanted. He had a reason and I couldn’t ignore someone this important to me. I had to listen to Lance even if I didn’t want to. Giving him my utmost attention, I let him continue. 

“He’s angry and frustrated, not to mention a lot less leader-y, dude,” he answered, fiddling with the frayed ends of his jacket. “Like today, when he saw us, he tried to confront us and when we told him that we’re dating, he left.”

“So?”

“So!” Lance gasped, waving his arms. “When I was in the Garrison, I heard that Shiro didn’t care about someone being gay or straight. I even heard he had a boyfriend! Why would **that** Shiro be mad at  **us** for dating?”

“I don’t think it had anything to do with gender or us, Lance,” I explained, leaning back against the wall. “I think it had to deal with the war…..he didn’t want us to lose one another.”

Lance didn’t say anything as he looked down at his ankles, frustration evident on his face. He was stubborn, of course, and probably ignored what I said but I wouldn't back down. Shiro wasn’t against us for the wrong reasons. He was probably already thinking about a way to apologize to us for leaving dinner early. 

Shiro was just that guy.

He’d never do anything wrong like this. 

He was a savior, nothing less. 

“What are you doing in my room?” 

Lance and I immediately jumped to a stand as the former Black Paladin stood in the doorway of his room, arms crossed over his chest and brows knit tight. Lance looked uncomfortable as he looked at Shiro from the corner of his eye, a hint of betrayal etched into his gaze but once their eyes met, Lance shrunk away. This was probably going to be the only opportunity I’d get to give my point before accepting whatever punishment Shiro thought fit. 

“We wanted to talk to you,” I answered, taking a step forward. Shiro didn’t look away from Lance as I tried to catch his attention. “We wanted to talk about what happened at dinner.”

“What happened at dinner?” Shiro echoed, his gaze finally on me. “Nothing happened at dinner.”

“You kind of walked out on us, Shiro,” I muttered, earning another frown from the pilot. “And when we were meeting earlier, you seemed mad at Lance and I.” Taking Lance’s hand, I tried to smile even though it was a bit awkward. “I guess we were just wondering what we did to make you mad.”

Shiro didn’t immediately answer as he stared at us, eyes more focused on Lance than on me. I watched as he stepped towards the desk, eyes scouring the piles that we were just looking at with intense eyes. It wasn’t hard to deduce that he had seen us and that he was wondering where our heads were. Lance seemed to make the same conclusion as he reached a hand out to place on my shoulder. Meeting my eye, he took a step towards Shiro with a big, bright smile on his face. 

“I know it’s a little weird to see Keith acting like a normal person but I’m sure the team will get used to the Emo Prince and Lancey Lance in a relationship,” he said, a strained smile on his face. Hooking his hands behind his head, he winked. “But I promise it’s genuine.”

Shiro’s shoulders stiffened as he looked down at the table again. Turning, he rested a hand on Lance’s shoulder that seemed to make Lance’s smile weaken. “I don’t know why you’d think I’d care whether or not Keith smiles but right now, I only care about doing our jobs and sticking to our plan of rescuing the Kings.” Waving his hand between the two of us, he continued. “This…..fling. It’ll end as soon as the both of you grow up and realize that this is just the result of being stuck on a planet together for two months.”

The thoughts in my mind melted into a halt as I stared down the man that brought me to where I am. 

I couldn’t control the feelings of anger and frustration as I watched him pick up a tablet and review it as if he hadn’t just called my feelings fakes. 

When had Shiro become so difficult to talk to?

He couldn’t possibly believe this was some kind of phase.

He knew that it was difficult for me to ever trust someone like how I did Lance, especially after my Dad passed away.

I couldn’t handle other people from the beginning and Lance was one of the few that surprised me the most. I used to hate the way he laughed and joked about everything but now I realize that he’s the sun I needed in my darkness. It may be corny, but there was no one in the world that I loved more than Lance and it had everything to do with how much he cared for me. Just knowing that Shiro didn’t approve of my decision and thought that this was something I made up helped me realize that I didn’t need his approval.

Shiro was important to me, yes, but so was Lance.

I couldn’t live without Lance and maybe…...maybe I’d have to live learn how to live without Shiro.

“...Shiro, you don’t mean that, right?” Lance whispered, the hurt causing his voice to crack and eyes to water. “Wh-Why would you say that?”

“Let’s face it, Lance, you’d flirt with anyone if you thought you had a chance and Keith just happened to be the first one to actually give you one,” Shiro spat, hand reaching up to push back his fringe. “He was in need of someone to hold and you happened to be there. That’s it. Stop getting emotional and do your job as Paladins.” I couldn’t watch as Lance’s shoulders dipped to their lowest and his head fell. The blood drained from his face as he took a shaky breath and nodded his head. I was sure he wanted to cry but thought it best not to cry in front of Shiro. The look of complete disgust on Shiro’s face was the last straw for me. 

I wouldn’t let anyone talk about Lance like that. 

**Not even Shiro.**

Out of sheer instinct, I found my hands on Shiro’s collar, face inches away from his. My jaw hurt with the tension strung from clenching my jaw as I tried to formulate words instead of just yelling.The white of my knuckles and nearly torn edges of his shirt proved how angry I was, even if Shiro didn’t seem fazed. His cool and calm glare made me want to deck him then and there but Lance quickly tried to stop me.

“He can’t say whatever he wants to you,” I growled, the sound of my voice almost unrecognizable. That didn’t deter Lance in the least as he tugged again.

“It’s not worth it,” he urged, reaching up to pluck my fingers one by one.

“He knows I’m right,” Shiro chuckled, hands reaching for mine in a loose grip. “And you won’t do a single thing to me, Keith. I’m the only family you have left. There’s no one if you get on the wrong side of me.”

“Cut the crap, Shiro, this isn’t you,” I mumbled, my grip on his collar lessening. “Maybe we should come tomorrow when you’ll actually listen to us.” Releasing him, I let my hand fall into Lance’s carefully watching the way his eyebrows furrowed.

He was worried about where Shiro’s head was, just like I was. 

After reading all of that data and questioning Shiro’s decisions, I couldn’t pinpoint anything about our leader. Usually, Shiro and I were on the same page, same sentence, even the same word, but today…...today it seemed like something had possessed him.

He and I have been like family for so long that I couldn’t imagine him not approving of Lance and I. When I talked to him about not understanding why I wasn’t fitting in, he told me to stand out. When teachers, classmates, even friends of Shiro believed I was worthless, he defended me. Pidge, Hunk and Allura had voiced their opinions on my leadership and Shiro still believed I was the best choice. How could he believe I would make a bad decision now? We’d been in space forever together and even now, he’s known Lance like family. He knows that Lance would never date me if he didn’t actually like me. Sure, he flirted but he never did it as a way of playing around. He did it with full intention of following through. Lance wasn’t a player even if he claimed he was. He was loyal to a boot and one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me.

**He was so much more than Shiro was seeing right now and I couldn't understand why he was playing blind.**

  
  
  


The walk back to Lance’s room was awkwardly tense.

Neither Lance nor I could get over what we had just seen and what Shiro had said. 

Just the string of evidence presented to us was ridiculous. I’d be damned if I was going to ignore Shiro completely ignoring my relationship with Lance. That alone, made me angry. The fear in Lance’s eyes when he was rejected by Shiro was even worse. Seeing those altered documents and listening to Lance, I couldn’t help but wonder if the man we just talked to was actually Shiro.

As Lance placed his hand on the scanner, I watched him walk into the room, carefully pulling my into his arms as the door slid closed. His entire body was shaking as he buried his head into the crown of mine. It was oddly sweet to feel him close to me and know that he was confiding his emotions in me but I would have been a lot happier if he hadn’t felt down enough to have to do so. 

With a hesitant hand, I wound my arms around his sides and lifted his face up to see his beautiful blue eyes but what I saw made me shake with anger. 

Lance’s eyes were glistening with tears and his bottom lip was swollen from intense chewing. Brown fringe had covered his furrowing brow and I couldn’t help but take a thumb and stroke it across his cheek. Just seeing him this vulnerable was heart wrenching and I desperately thought how stupid I was to let someone treat him like this. For a while, I had a hole in my heart where only Shiro seemed to partially fill but now…..now I had Lance to help me.

**I had to protect him.**

“Don’t worry,” I sighed, relaxing my tense shoulders. “It doesn’t matter what he says. I still like you and I know my feelings are true.”

“I know,” he whispered, ducking his head. “That’s not what I’m worried about.”

Great, he was actually worried. 

“Then what is it?”

Groaning, he released me and headed towards his bed, his steps heavy and slow. I hadn’t taken the time to actually look around his room before today since we weren’t exactly that close two months ago. 

Pairs of multi-colored lion-themed slippers were scattered in a corner, one on top of the other, while a few pairs of royal blue robes slunk from an empty box. A ‘make it yourself’ shelf was covered in at least a few hundred bottles, some unused and some left completely open. A stack of Altean Language tablets wee piled up next to his bed and a pair of green headphones sat atop those. Aside from the occasional cord and Coran’s recording boxes, Lance’s room seemed fairly normal. 

I had been in Pidge’s room and hers was a form of chaos that I’d never understand. Hunk’s room was orderly with a lot of printed memories, successful recipes and research material. Allura’s room was like what you’d imagine a Princess of an entire planet’s room would be like, pink and ridiculously gaudy. And Coran’s…..well, I’d never step foot in there again after the last time. Lance, however, was someone I thought would have millions of pictures of himself on the wall. Looking around, I only saw group photos with the Coalition, Fans as well as Pidge, Hunk, Coran and the occasional one of Shiro and Allura. There wasn’t a single picture of just himself. I was more surprised at the fact that there photos with me in them. I never remembered posing for them and I could easily see they were pretty candid. I didn’t mind this, though, since it looked like he caught rare moments that I was actually smiling instead of looking serious. Some were taken at the training deck or in the Lion Bay while others were over dinner and the occasional party with the Coalition. 

Lance noticed that I was staring at all of the pictures and immediately flung himself further into the bed to get my attention. After being with Lance for a while, I quickly learned that him slumping into furniture meant that he needed attention and love. “Keith, we can talk about the pictures I took of you later! I’m in desperate need of my favorite dropout.”

“Don’t call me a dropout,” I grumbled, crossing my arms.

“Or what?” He asked, his perfectly snarky smile followed by a wink. I indulged him as I walked over, standing over him for a moment. “Oh? Look who decided to join me.”

As soon as my hip hit the bed, Lance snaked an arm around my waist and laid his head in my lap. It was a new position for me and I immediately stiffened up like a statue but it looked like it made Lance happy. Closing his eyes, he let out a heavy sigh, hand slinking up the back of my shirt. “Hey! Watch it!”

“I need a little skinship, Samurai,” he mumbled, resting his hands on the base of my spine. “Indulge me.”

“I feel like that’s all I do,” I retorting, running my hand through his hair. Per usual, the strands of dark hair were softer than mine and definitely shinier than mine. The way his brown locks flattened against his head were trademark and his long lashes were practically curled in the shape of waves. So much of what I loved about Lance was how he could keep up with me but it seemed like all I was doing lately was trying to keep up with him. Though I was sure there was one thing or another he could beat me in, I didn’t like not understanding how he felt. “Now…..you gotta tell me. What’s bothering you?”

The serene look on his face quickly disappeared as he leaned deeper into my lap and wrapped his arms tightly around me. “Do…..do you regret this?”

“Regret what?”

“Coming to space, piloting the Lions, traveling the universe, getting hurt, fighting every day…..meeting me,” he muttered, his voice trailing. “Being with me.”

“Falling in love with you, having friends, saving the world…...not being lonely,” I added, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. My cheeks were burning enough to tingle but I was used to Lance’s fears and if that meant I was going to be embarrassed for a few seconds to make him happy for a few days, I would. “No…...I don’t regret any of it.” Stroking a warbling tear from the corner of his eye, I laughed. “And I actually like the fighting and saving the world. Space isn’t so bad once you get used to it.”

Lance hummed a response that I couldn’t really understand right now but the content smile on his face made me feel a little better. The knock on the door made both of us jump but Lance was the first one to actually sit up. As I headed for the door, I felt the weight of his stare on my back and the tension rise in the air. If it were Hunk or Pidge they would have forced the door open by now. Allura wouldn’t have bothered us and I was sure Coran was on his post-dinner nap by now so that only left one option. Pressing my hand against the keypad, I waited for the door to reveal Shiro standing almost perfectly straight with a sheepish grin on his face.

“....Hey,” he mumbled, mechanic arm scratching the back of his head. “I-uh….I guess I came to apologize.” Peering over my shoulder, he looked to Lance who had stood now, jacket and hair disheveled. I could see what was running through his mind and I didn’t like him thinking about anything that dealt with Lance right now. Out of embarrassment, Lance fixed his hair and jacket, looking down at his pants for neatness. When he was done, he smiled, more to me than to Shiro. I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“Um, I guess come on in, it’s my room,” Lance joked, waving a hand in and tugging a chair covered in miscellaneous things on it. Shoving those to the ground, he scooted the chair near the bed where he and I were previously sitting. Shiro took the offer immediately as he slid past me and settled into the chair, the pair watching me as I walked over. There was something off about the way Shiro seemed and I couldn’t pinpoint it as he waved a hand in front of him. 

“I was…..wrong,” he started, leaning forward with his hands clasped in front of him. As I sat beside Lance, I reached for his hand and linked our fingers, carefully watching Shiro for a reaction. Shiro didn’t even blink as he continued, eyes trained on Lance. “I shouldn’t have doubted whether or not the two of you like each other.  It’s wrong of me, especially since I wasn’t there to witness you grow.”

Lance chuckled as he let out a heavy sigh, the light in his eyes returning in full. The guy could recover fast, I’d give him that. “I’m glad you came to your senses! It was really heartbreaking to think that you didn't approve of Keith and I! I was wondering if I did something to make you mad at me!”

“Never,” he smiled, his signature Garrison smile on his face. “I think it’s good for Keith to finally have someone to take care of him.”

“I don’t need someone to take care of me, Shiro,” I grumbled, earning a weird look from Lance. “Lance isn’t my babysitter. He’s my partner.”

“Maybe I used the wrong words to describe your relationship,” he said, eyes still on Lance. The gesture annoyed me more than I wanted to let on. He hadn’t looked in my direction the entire conversation and if he was going to only focus on what Lance was saying, what was the point of me being there? Lance’s hand in mine was starting to get antsy as he was weighed down by Shiro’s gaze and my uncomfortable air. “As always, Lance has been by your side even when you haven’t been by his. Maybe it’s time you both got in a closer relationship because of your dependence on one another.”

“That’s it,” I growled, jerking to a stand. Stepping towards Shiro, I narrowed my gaze, carefully watching his reactions. Shiro didn’t even flinch as his gaze met mine, dark pupils thinning to points. “You didn’t come here to apologize. You came here to analyze us.” Pointing a finger in Shiro’s face, I grumbled. “If that’s how you’re going to be, you can just leave.” 

“Keith, chill out, man,” Lance muttered, reaching out to touch my arm. “Maybe he phrased it wrong.” Turning to Shiro, he nodded his head. “Right? You just phrased it wrong.”

Lifting a pointer finger to his lower lip, he shook his head. “I don’t think I phrased my thoughts wrong.” Finally looking towards me, he smiled, the gesture filled with amusement and arrogance. He was looking down on me like he had before when he learned that I had failed as leader of Voltron. Just the fact that he was looking at me like this made me want to fight him but I knew that I couldn’t. Lance was here and I knew he would be upset if I ever swung at Shiro. Shoot, I’d be upset with myself later if I ever took a shot at Shiro. I knew it was childish to even think about it but with everything that was surrounding Shiro right now, I didn’t really have my mind screwed on right.“I know that look on your face, Keith, and you won’t fight me with Lance here. You’re too much of a coward.”

“Wait, what?” Lance said, looking between Shiro and I. Turning into the space between Shiro and I, he looked me in the eye. “What the hell is wrong with you, Keith? That’s your family! We don’t fight family!”

“Shiro would never say something like that to me,” I scowled, shoving forward. Lance braced himself well and pushed back, causing both of us to nearly trip into the bed. The Former Blue Paladin took this opportunity to wrap his arms around me. “Lance get off!”

“No! You’re just going to fight him,” he grunted, holding me tighter. “You aren’t thinking right! Take a deep breath!”

“Lance! Let me go!” I grumbled, shoving him off of me and onto the bed. That’s when I saw Shiro standing over me, mechanic arm glowing violet. His gaze was narrowed as he bared his gaze on Lance and I, a sinister darkness under his darkened grey eyes. “.....Shiro? What are you doing?”

A crooked smile graced the face of the Leader of Voltron as he raised his hand above his head. Lance was the first to react as he reached for Shiro’s arm at the shoulder and shoved, narrowly knocking Shiro back. I couldn’t move, for some reason, as Lance moved to a stand. “Shiro! What the hell! I just said don’t fight!”

“What the hell, indeed?” He mumbled, regaining his balance. Without a moment to breath, he began charging forward, Lance being the only one in his path.. 

Instantly my instincts shot into overdrive as I intercepted him, hand reaching for my blade clipped at my waist. Grabbing the hilt, I pointed the tip towards Shiro, the piece of strong Galran Steel shaking in my trembling hands. I had never pointed my blade in Shiro’s direction and my mind was racing as he stopped. The only thought in my head was to protect Lance and if Shiro was a threat, I’d have to fight him. Wiping the whitened tips of his fringe back, he smiled, the grin revealing sharpened, grey canines. The grey of his iris bled through to reveal amber and a few red scales fluttered at his neck.

“There’s no point in fighting,” he said, his voice warbled and distant.

“Right….there isn’t,” Lance huffed, moving beside me. “So just put your Galran mechanical arm of death away and talk to us. We can figure it out.”

“If this has something to do with the stats, we can just talk to Pidge,” I added, watching Shiro’s movements carefully. “I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“You know nothing,” he hissed, the emotion quickly draining from his voice. As a thin tail crept around his back and flicked back and forth, I realized that our fears had been confirmed. The man standing before us wasn’t Shiro at all. Lance didn’t hold back his gasp as I continued to point my Marmoran Blade towards his face. The foreign alien took this time to respond “I am here for the Blue Paladin.”

“Wha-Who the hell is that!” Lance grumbled, pulling his Bayard out from his back pocket. Aiming his blaster towards the imposters head, he scowled. “Who are you and what are you doing acting like Shiro?”

“Where’s Shiro? What did you do to him!” I asked, pointing a steadier blade towards the alien. The alien didn’t answer as they stayed in their mottled form, their tail’s pointed edge facing us. “Talk!”

The alien did the exact opposite as they crouched low, hands lightly supporting their body by the knuckle. Sharing a glance with Lance, I tried to move him towards the door but the idiot didn’t catch the hint.

“I don’t need you protecting me,” he grumbled, grabbing my arm and tugging me in the direction of the door. I didn’t fight him as he placed his hand on the door and began to type in the code that would set off the alarm throughout the Castle of Lions Quarters level. That’s when Shiro took a step towards us. “Whoa, Tiger! Stay over there or you’ll have a few blaster holes in you to crap out of.”

The Shiro imposter tilted their head to the side as he watched us, hesitation keeping him on the balls of his toes. I couldn’t breath as they crawled forward on hands and foot, an extremely unnatural movement for someone like Shiro and I couldn’t watch as he pounced towards us. “Back up!”

“Noooooo,” it growled, eyes pulsing amber. His movements were sloven at first as he leaned back on his heels but I could see that he wasn’t entirely in control of his movements. His eyes were hooded and as he crouched there, his head rocking from side to side. As he pawed at the ground, I noticed him whispering to himself. 

“Are you seeing this?” Lance whispered, eyes widening.

“I don’t think I can unsee it,” I replied, trying to understand what was going on. “Shiro?”

“Nooooo,” it moaned, the sound getting louder and louder. “No! No! No! No!” Taking the palm of his hand, he began beating against the side of his head, instantly reddening where his hands met his face. “No! No! NO!”

“Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself,” I urged, taking a step forward. Lance immediately stopped me by grabbing my arm, fear and confusion filling his eyes. Tugging away from him, I stood closer to the creature, yanking it’s hands away from his face. “You’re going to hurt yourself, stupid!”

The alien laughed at me.

In a second, the alien stood, my hand in his and a claw braced at my neck. As he turned me to face Lance, I stood in his steel grip, helpless and uncomfortable. My body was completely useless as he pulled my other arm behind my back, subsequently knocking my blade right out of my hands. “Ah!” His grip on my arm was enough to tug my shoulder out of its socket if I tried to move and as his nails dug into my neck just enough to bleed.

“Keith…..” Lance whispered, aiming his blaster towards the imposters head. “Let him go.”

“You humans are so foolish and easy to control,” the alien laughed, his chest against my back. “It was so easy to infiltrate the Castle of Lions. I can’t believe it took the Galra so long to do this. Humans are pathetically sympathetic!”

“That’s coming from the guy whose stuck inside the Castle of Lions without any backup,” Lance huffed, eyes dark. “It doesn’t take a genius to know that you won’t get out of here alive.”

“Oh, I won’t get out of here alive,” he chuckled, gripping my neck tighter. “But Shiro, Leader of Voltron, will be able to get out of here without a single word.”

“You’re not getting out,” I growled, turning my arm a bit but he was just too strong and I was left aching instead of free. “What the fuck are you?”

“I’ll tell you a little secret, since I like that pretty face of yours,” he hummed, tightening his grip on my neck. Leaning his lips close to my ear, he whistled, the sound more annoying than anything else. “I’m a close friend of Malone and Ray. You’d say we’re more like family than anything.”

“You’re a-”

“No, no, no,” the alien tsked, digging his nails further into my neck. His nails felt like they were slicing into my neck already and it hurt to breath. “No spoilers!”

“Let Keith go,” Lance snarled, taking a step forward. With a flick of it’s wrist, the alien released me, activating his Galra arm and placing it at my stomach. The heat billowing off of his arm was enough to give me first degree burns but I had to endure it as Lance froze, eyes focused on me and only me. “Stop…..stop. I won’t move.”

“You’ll go with me, then?” The alien asked, his hand moving closer to my stomach.

“.......yes-”

“Lance, no!”

“Shut up,” he grumbled, shrinking his blaster and throwing his Bayard to the ground about ten feet away. Raising his hands above his head, he surrendered, eyes level with the alien. “I give up.”

“Walk forward,” the alien ordered, arm still placed near my stomach.

Lance obeyed, slowly walking towards us with heavy steps. I couldn’t figure out what his plan was since he was practically in arms reach but I believed in him completely. With his free hand, the alien tossed a pair of cybernetic cuffs towards Lance who quickly locked them around both of his wrists. With a successful beep, he showed his back to the alien as proof.

**“Kneel.”**

Lance immediately followed the direction, eyes still on me.

I felt completely helpless as I watched Lance follow his every whim.

There was nothing I could do. 

“Now, just so you don’t try to follow me,” the alien hummed as he placed his hand directly onto my stomach, searing a hand mark into my abdomen. I couldn’t stop the scream that cut through my throat as numbing pain sliced through my body. My knees buckled as I fell, body pulling into itself. I could smell the disgusting scent of burnt skin and as I looked down to my stomach, I found the remnants of my dark shirt melted into my skin. I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach to stop the blood but it didn’t help. My vision was blurry as pain moved in nauseating waves and tears streamed down my face as I gritted my teeth. Lance immediately tried to move towards me but was instantly pulled back by his hair.

“Keith! You mother-fu-”

“Don’t start, Human,” the alien growled, tugging Lance further. I couldn’t watch as he kneed Lance in the side of the head, knocking the Paladin onto his face. Lance was out cold and I could feel my body slicken with sweat. The warm blood flowing into my hands barely felt like my own and I couldn’t seem to plug the vein bleeding out. I couldn’t move and I could barely breathe as the alien threw Lance over his shoulder and looked down to me with a pitiful gaze. “It always hurts the first time, huh?”

I couldn’t respond as another cry sent tears streaming down my face and blood shooting into my hands. My chest hurt with the force and the throbbing was enough to turn my sight black. As my vision churned in waves, I laid there staring at Lance’s unconscious body tossed over the alien’s shoulder. 

There was nothing I could do.

He was going to take Lance.

He was going to win.

And I’d never see Lance again.

With a final chuckle, the alien returned to his Shiro form, eyes the last to change. Waving a theatrical hand over his head, he bowed, his eyes meeting mine. “I hope it happens pretty fast,” he sighed, finishing the emergency sequence that Lance had started. Pressing enter, he waited for the alarms to begin blaring before turning to me with a smile. “Dying, I mean.”

Just watching Lance being taken from me was exactly that.

That’s what it felt like.

**Dying.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah........yeah.......  
> yeah........  
> (*insert evil Author laugh*)
> 
> SOOOOOOO July 31st is my 21st birthday meaning.......I can.....drown my sorrows and tears from Season 7 on August 10th in highclass wine that I can buy for myself instead of asking my mom to let me bum a glass :)  
> Don't judge me......
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter because the climax is around the corner!  
> (*laughs in spanish*)
> 
>  
> 
> ALso whoever started that Hips Don't Lie cosplay trend for Lance on Music.ly deserves an award cause DAMN some of you are really good at cosplaying and it's crazy sexy! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!


	38. Chapter 38: Keith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SHOOT ME IN THE FOOOOOOT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been crazy busy and after Season 7 I needed a little break from everything sooo please forgive me...

“......is he going to wake up?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is he dead?”

“Does it look like he’s dead, Hunk?”

“What in the heck happened?”

**“I. Don’t. Know.”**

The yelling was getting annoying.

Blinking hurt like hell too but it was better than listening to the voices in the back of my head. As I squinted, the images around me became that much clearer and I could see the images of my teammates huddled over me. Hunk was the first to reach out and touch me. 

“THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE OKAY!” He shouted, bending down to hug me. Thankfully, Pidge pressed a hand against his shoulder before I lost air.

“Hunk, you can break his stitches,” she reported, matter-a-factly. With a smile, she laid her other hand on my arm with a content squeeze. “I’m glad you finally woke up. We were getting worried.”

I looked over to her, saliva thick in my throat as I tried to speak. 

“Don’t speak too much, Keith, we know what happened,” Allura muttered as she moved into view. Peering over her shoulder was Coran and a nurse who looked fairly normal, minus her bright green hair. “We saw…..”

“Th-then,” I croaked, clearing my throat. “Then you saved him…..right?” 

I searched my teammates faces, only to find them all avoiding my gaze. 

I knew I was hoping for too much but I couldn’t stop myself from asking. 

My fist clenched tight into the sheets and my body became rigid, only pulling more at my painful stitches. I ignored the pain and tears that welled in my eyes as I thought of the look I saw in Lance’s. 

There was absolutely nothing I could have done to save him but I wish I had….

Why did that alien take him?

Why not me?

**Where…….where was Lance?**

All of these questions swirled through my mind like a maelstrom.

As if reading my thoughts, Pidge shoved her glasses against her face and pulled out a clipboard. “The pod that the alien took was pretty old so we aren’t going to be able to track it,” she started, flipping a page. Pushing her falling glasses back on her face, she continued. “But, thankfully, I did inventory a few days ago and I was able to get the fuel ratio. Thanks to Hunk, I have printed copies.”

“The pod couldn’t go farther than a few hundred miles before it would run out of gas,” Hunk added, nodding his head. Scratching his brow, he rubbed against his swollen and dark eyes. “We’ve already talked to the King and she’s sent out several scouts on foot and a few by air but there’s not much they can do right now.”

“I’ll go with them,” I said, trying to easee myself up but a hand gently pushed me down. It was the nurse this time. 

“You aren’t allowed to leave yet,” Pidge answered, waving her hand to the weird clock on the wall. “According to their time, you have medicine coming soon to help heal your wound from the inside.” Nodding to the Nurse, she watched her run out of the door. 

“But I need to go help,” I responded, looking to Hunk. I knew he was the only one who would let me go if I made him feel bad for leaving me. “I can track them better than anyone.”

“We know that but you healing is more important,” Coran intervened, a calming smile on his face. “And the mighty Gorgeous Man that I am can’t let a youngin’ like you have more battle scars than me!”

I couldn’t smile at his joke much as he looked to Allura for help.

“We’re going to head out soon too to help,” Allura responded, nodding to Coran. The elder man headed towards the door following Allura. As she looked back to me for a second, she ran into someone at the door. 

Standing beside her was our Leader, Shiro.

I nearly saw red as I stared down the figure that had stolen someone so important to me. In an instant, I felt the polyester collar of the alien clenched between my tightened fists, jaw clenched shut and teeth digging into my lower lip. I could feel the throbbing pain in my stomach well into a burn as I reached an arm back to claw the man’s eyes out but…..something was stopping me. 

“KEITH! NO! STOP!”

“THAT ISN’T THE ALIEN!” Hunk shouted, pulling my arm back as I lunged forward again.

“THAT’S SHIRO!” Pidge shouted, standing into my view. Looking down to my stomach, she gasped. “Your stitches…..KEITH! STOP!”

**“YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!”** I growled, lurching towards him but Hunk and Allura’s grip on me was like steel. **“WHY WOULD YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!”**

The white haired man stared at me in confusion as he massaged his shoulder. His mechanical arm wasn’t lit in self defense and it irked me that he didn’t even see me as a threat. As my heartbeat thudded against my chest, I stared down the man that took someone so precious right out of my hands. 

**“WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU!”** I snarled, tugging against the arms that held me tight to them. **“GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!”**

“I didn’t take him, Keith, that was-”

**“BRING HIM BACK!”**

“Keith, stop moving,” Pidge urged, using her entire body to shove me down. Placing her face right in front of me, she forced me to look down to my abdomen where an enormous red spot was blooming through my hospital clothes. “You’re going to bleed even faster and die. Then what use are you to Lance.”

Without notice, Allura picked me up and placed me on the cot, carefully applying straps to my ankles. “What are you doing, Allura! Take them off of me!”

“You aren’t listening and you’re going to kill yourself,” the Princess grumbled, running a hand over her sweaty brow. “I didn’t know Galran half-breeds could be so strong.” When my eyes widened, she winced. “I didn’t mean that...in a bad way.”

“I don’t care,” I muttered, keeping my eyes on Shiro. He still stood a good distance away from me for his own safety. If I were him, I’d do the same too. Just because I was injured, didn’t mean I wouldn’t try to kill him again. My thoughts were running a mile a minute as I looked at the man I had trusted my life to and now, I wasn’t even sure if this was really the Shiro I grew up knowing. Seeing him looking down at me with confusion, frustration and even fear was new. I felt like a monster under a microscope but felt as weak as a chained animal. My entire being was shaking in anger and I couldn’t calm it down. It was like a volcano was erupting in my chest far beyond my control.  As Pidge took a scanner to my stomach to check my vitals, she grabbed a syringe and filled it with a red liquid. “What is that? What are you doing with that?”

“Just some pain medicine,” she muttered, sticking the needle into my arm. Pushing the end, she waited for it to start before muttering something in a soft voice.“And a sedative.”

“Sedative,” I growled, but it was too late. I could feel the cool liquid seeping through my veins like ice water and before I knew it, I was gone. 

Right back into my silent nightmares. 

  
  
  


When I woke up, it was dark in the room. 

The only light that showed was from a tablet held in the former Leader of Voltron’s hands. Jerking to a sitting position, I felt new restraints firmly press against my wrists and quickly learned that I was tied to the cot. Shiro noticed as he put the tablet down and turned on the light, eyes set on me. I stared him down as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed beside my leg. “Keith….”

“Get. Away. From me.” I hissed, lifting my arm in warning. Shiro just shook his head as he placed a hand on my leg.

“You know it wasn’t me, Keith,” he responded, looking down to me. 

“You have no excuses, Shiro! Even if it wasn’t you,” I seethed, glaring the man down. “You could have done something!”

“I was drugged before I got to the King’s Palac-”

“You should have woken up!”

“You’re being ridiculous, Keith,” Shiro groaned, running a hand through his hair. “You know this isn’t what Lance would want.”

“ **DON’T YOU DARE SAY HIS NAME!** ” I snapped, jolting the bed nearly off of it’s metal seat. “You...you could have done something. You could have saved him.”

“Yes….” Shiro whispered, putting his hand on my shoulder. I didn’t have the energy to fight him as he showed me the tablet. “You’ve been asleep for a few hours and a lot has happened since.” Turning the page on the tab, he pointed to an energy reading. “Whoever took Lance used a virus that shut down most of our defense systems and drained nearly all of the quintessence from the castleship. They also downed the energy in Bellterr but couldn’t take the barriers down. Thankfully, we were able to find a suitable power source to keep Bellterr up for a few days but that’s all they have before immediate, country-wide shutdown and the protective barrier will be dead.”

I couldn’t care less about them right now, I needed to know about Lance and it he was alright.

“I know you’re worried about Lance but there isn’t a read on him right now.” 

“I thought you had an idea of where he was!”

“We did and then…...we didn’t,” he muttered, hand waneing as he laid the tablet on my lap. “It’s going to take two days before we can restore defenses to the castleship and really go after him.”

“TWO DAYS!” I shouted, tears ebbing at the corner of my eyes. Lance didn’t have two days! Who knew what was happening to him right now and what he was going through! I needed to be by him and standing at his side like he had always done when he was with me every step of the way.  He needed me to hold him as he cried and fight alongside him. I needed him to joke when the situation was serious and shoot down an enemy with a click of his fingers. I needed…..“H-He….he doesn’t have two days, Shiro.” My mind couldn’t comprehend Lance feeling the same pain I felt in my stomach or the confusion of being alone. 

“He’s a Paladin, Keith,” Shiro replied, standing up from his seat. “If anyone can survive this, it’s Lance…...he’s going to be fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a bit short but I have so much going on right now and I'm dead tired andd packing because I'm moving in 36 days and wish me luck because it's uuuhhhhh international.......yeah.......so.......ENJOY


	39. I'm A Useless Author

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I AM CONTINUING DONT WORRY

Hello.....  
I know all of you have been waiting carefully for a new chapter to come up but due to my classes being very hectic, I haven't had any time to do so.   
I have also been having some personal problems so please don't put hate or anything in the comments because of me posting this instead of a chapter. 

 

I AM GOING TO CONTINUE

 

I want to post quality work and if I'm rushing, I'm not being fair to you.  
Please continue to bookmark, comment and like, all of you have been wonderful readers and I couldn't wish for a more wonderful set of fans.   
Thank you again.


	40. Chapter 40: Lance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome one and all to the Klance sad-fest because Season 8 was a shit show and I hated it......thank you......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the late posting but there has been a shitload of stuff going on in Japan with school and me getting a job so I'm slightly in a rut on what to write until I saw Season 8 and I hated it and that fueled me to write more.

Watching Keith screaming in pain as he laid on the ground was something that would never get out of my head. 

The echoes of it banged against the walls of my brain like popcorn burning in a machine and with everything around me darker than empty space, I was left suffering in it. 

How could everything have gone so wrong?

Just hours ago, Keith and I were cuddling up to each other like we were on Earth. It was peaceful and, oddly enough, normal. Laying on Keith’s chest and hearing that strong, hybrid heartbeat thump against my cheek assured me that he was alive and now that was all I wanted to hear.

The thump of his heart. 

The sound of his offbeat snores.

The feel of his calloused palm against my back.

The taste of his lips.

I wanted to be with him again.

**I wanted to see him again.**

When Shiro, no, the alien turned on the alarm, the castle defenses shut off. 

That wasn’t supposed to happen. 

The bright red lights and blaring siren woke me as the alien sprinted towards the bay.

If only I had woken up sooner….

  
  
  


The thump of my sore hips meeting the hard floors jolted me awake. 

With a groan, I reached a chained hand up to the base of my skull.  

“It’s awake,” a voice chuckled, toeing me with the heel of his boot. “Thought you killed ‘em on the journey, Gark.”

“The master wouldn’t be happy if I did,” Gark responded, his smile curving just like Shiro’s. It disgusted me seeing him look like the guy that I had idolized most of my life. “What are you lookin’ at Paladin?”

“Something ugly,” I chuckled, earning a kick in the stomach. Pain erupted in my stomach as bile filled my throat but I wouldn’t show them that it hurt. I couldn’t if I planned on surviving. “And someone who kicks like a toddler.”

“Don’t kick him again, Gark,” a voice grumbled, as I heard the click of heels entering the room. I looked up to catch the eyes of a beautiful women dressed in a long black gown. Her skin was the color of sand and her hair was long and red. With a smile, she kneeled down and laid a webbed hand onto the top of my head. Her nails sunk into my forehead making my eyes water. “He’s kinda cute.”

“Thank you, I’ve been told that,” I grunted, nudging my head out of her hands. “But since I’m so cute, why don’t you get me out of here and we can have a little fun.”

“Aww,” she hummed, standing. “If only you were  **that** cute.” Turning to Gark, she frowned, hands on her waist. “Go get the shifters in here. I need to know what he knows now.”

“But Lyka, Master said to wait,” Gark replied, eyes filled with confusion as he looked towards the door. With a shiver, he covered his mouth. “And Master’s going to punish me if I go against them.”

“Oh, grow a pair and get that ugly layer of skin off,” she growled, the sound reverberating through the room. “I’m tired of looking at this thing and I want the shifters to finish him off so we can get the Kings off of our planet.”

Shoving past Gark, Lyka stomped out of the room, a solemn creature following after them. As they left, a guard shut the door, leaving me alone in a dark room. Thankfully, I wasn’t chained to anything and beside the obvious ache in my stomach and head, I was in pretty good shape. 

My only problem was the obvious.

No contact with my team.

No weapons.

And no Lions.

**Great…...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this is a short chapter but the next chapter has a little bit more that is a bit longer than usual so I had to break it up properly
> 
> WARNING: MINI RANT
> 
> OKAY! I want to get this out of the way but I don't hate Season 8 because of the lack of KLANCE being canon. Actually, I'm pissed because they rushed Allurance and it seemed like she was just using Lance he was absolutely in 'love' with her. Also, why did they do my boy so wrong. I know that Lance McClain would not become some sit at home Farmer after he fell so in love with piloting. He would have helped the universe just like everyone else. Allurance was rushed, Shiro married a character we only saw three times and barely heard anything from him. Adam wasn't talked about in the people they've lost. Matt cut his hair. It was a shit show okay. Also, why didn't they just say that Allura trully loved Lotor because when she went into the void to save the universe, she immediately went towards him....she didn't fucking love Lance. She loved him like a friend not like a relationship. And I know Dreamworks has a set of things that the writers can do but it seemed so damn wishy-washy that it pissed me off. Also, why my girl had to die was stupid.   
> AND ANOTHER THING  
> If she died, then Lance could have happily fallen in love with Keith.....  
> IF you can write shitty ending where he becomes a fucking Farmer, you can have him fall in love with Keith There's no quota for gay couples.....  
> That's all for now.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for being such amazing followers and readers!  
> Please leave comments and take a look at my other works from the AOT (Attack on Titan) and YOI (Yuri on Ice!!!) fandoms :)
> 
>  
> 
> Also, please please please please please tell me if I mess up, I don't have a Beta so I just edit my own junk and soon you will meet Tori-chan who kind of makes everything Angsty and Smutty so some of you may like her lolll


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